Hurt
by TheSongSmith
Summary: Seth is attacked and left to die in the woods. Who would do this to him, and what happens when a certain vampire follows a trail of temptation to the broken boy? Will his attacker find him and finish the job, or wil a new bond protect him from harm? WARNINGS: Some adult language, violence. M just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**So this was a little idea I had at 3am during a bout of insomnia, and after I wrote it I found that I really liked it, but I want to know what you think!**

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While taking a short walk in the woods, I pick up on a strange mix of scents. One of them is blood, and I find myself following the trail before I even understand. My instincts take over and I run towards the temptation, unable to stop until a wall of emotions pushes me back. I feel an intense pain, hopelessness, and pure fear that stops me in my tracks. Looking around, I don't see anyone, but the scent is stronger to the west. I follow the trail for another minute before I come upon the reason for it. Lying on the ground, curled up in the fetal position is a terrified, trembling Seth Clearwater. He's bruised and naked, like he just phased back into his human form. And the best part of all: He's covered in blood.

Shit. Shit shit shit. This is bad. I feel my instincts try to take over again, and I fight their control. _No. Bad Jasper. This is Seth. Sweet, innocent Seth. We like Seth. He's like a puppy, and we do NOT kill puppies. Get a grip!_ I reprimand myself. I close my eyes for a moment, holding my breath to block out the scent and trying to fight the part of me that wants to kill him. When I think I've got it under control, I take a breath. Though the scent burns my throat like crazy, I find myself slightly more concerned than I am homicidal, and immensely grateful that I went hunting this morning. "Seth?" I call softly. "Can you hear me?"

He flinches at my voice, his eyes opening partway. He cautiously looks up at me, his expression a mix of fear and pain. "J-Jasper…" he pleads, his voice a hoarse whisper, "Help m-me…please…"

I nod, slowly crouching next to him, careful to keep myself in check. "Okay, I'll help. What happened to you, kid?" Seth shakes his head frantically, and I feel an edge of panic rise up in him. "Woah, it's okay, you don't have to answer now. It's alright, just…stay calm. I'll take you to Carlisle; he'll know what to do."

This seems to calm him slightly, and he allows me to pick him up, whimpering softly at the movement. I'm afraid I might lose it, having his blood so close, but I push my instincts away. Seth is counting on me, and I really don't want to kill him. Reminding myself of this, I am able to focus and control myself, despite the blood still flowing from his wounds and splattering against his skin. As I enter the house, I yell for Carlisle. Upstairs in his office, he seems surprised. I gently lay Seth down on the bed and take a step back as a precaution against myself, but the scared boy grabs onto my hand. "Please, don't leave!" He begs.

Carlisle looks at me questioningly, and I nod. "I'm in control, I promise." I look back at Seth to find his wide, fearful eyes on me. "Don't worry, you'll be okay," I assure him softly. "I won't leave." I continue murmuring to him as Carlisle works over him, attempting to calm him with my gift as well as my words. His eyes stay fixed on me, and when he cries out in pain I squeeze his hand gently, talking to keep his mind off of it, and it seems to help a little bit.

"Carlisle, what happened to him?" I ask quietly, stroking Seth's hair lightly with my free hand.

"I was hoping you could tell me," he replies.

I sigh, feeling unusually angry at whoever did this, knowing Seth did nothing to deserve it. He's a good kid, and I don't understand who would do this to someone like him. "I tried to ask, but he nearly had a panic attack on me."

He nods thoughtfully, continuing his work. After a long time, he gently squeezes Seth's hand until the boy looks at him. "Seth, you're going to be okay. How do you feel?"

Seth grimaces and moans softly. "It h-hurts…" he manages.

Carlisle nods sympathetically. "I'm sorry, bud, I know it hurts. I'm going to give you something that will help you sleep so you don't have to feel it, okay? Just relax and we'll take care of the rest."

Seth nods, then looks back at me. "Are you…staying?" he asks nervously.

"Do you want me to stay?" He nods desperately, leaving me completely dumbfounded. "Okay then, I'll stay. Get some rest, I'll stay right here." I know that Seth needs a rock right now, and for some strange reason, he's chosen me. Since he's decided to put his faith in me, it's the least I can do to try and fulfill my obligations.

I watch his eyelids begin to droop as Carlisle slowly feeds the medicine into his IV. He squeezes my hand weakly, murmuring a "Thank you" before he falls asleep.

"What did you give him?" I ask quietly.

"That was morphine," Carlisle replies. "And this," he says, injecting something else into the IV, "Is a sedative. His body will burn off the pain killers quickly because of the higher body temperature. But with the sedative, by the time the morphine wears off, he'll be unconscious, so he won't feel it."

I watch as the pained expression on Seth's face smoothes out. "How long do we have to sedate him for?" I ask, not entirely comfortable with it.

"Once every hour for the rest of today. We'll let him wake up tomorrow morning and see how he feels." He pauses, watching my face for a moment. "I know it seems kind of mean to drug him like this, but there's not enough morphine in the world to make him comfortable tonight. I wouldn't do it if it weren't necessary but I can't let him suffer. Besides, the more rest he gets, the faster he'll heal."

I nod, accepting the necessity of it. "So do you have any idea what happened?"

He hesitates. "Well…considering the nature of the injuries, I think the wounds were inflicted by a werewolf. And whoever did it left him for dead."

"One of the pack did this?" I ask in disbelief. "How could they?"

"I don't know," he replies, "But I intend to find out."

I nod in agreement, wanting to rip the wolf responsible to shreds. It's not that I have a particular reason to protect Seth, but out of all the wolves, he is the one I like the most. He's generally happy and light-hearted, which means his emotions don't drive me crazy like the others' do. He's a good kid; honest, loyal, trustworthy, and kind, and I can't imagine anyone wanting to hurt him like this, much less one of his supposed brothers. And I know one thing for certain:

Whoever tried to hurt Seth Clearwater will pay dearly.

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**So there you have it, my random idea. Please please review and tell me what you think! If I get a couple of reviews I'll put up the next chapter. Yay!**

**~TheSongSmith  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you all for your lovely reviews! They made me so happy :D**

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****Seth whimpers in his sleep as the sedative starts to wear off. I give him what will be the final dose before we allow him to wake up. I haven't budged from this room all night, helping Carlisle clean him up and care for him. With the final dose administered, Carlisle looks up at me. "You should change your clothes."

I look down at myself and realize that I'm covered in Seth's blood. For once, it's the least appetizing thing ever. "Oh."

"Don't want him to be afraid when he wakes up. I'm very proud of you, by the way."

"Why?"

He smiles. "I know how hard it is to resist your instincts when there's that much blood right in front of you. That takes a lot of strength."

"It wasn't easy," I admit. "I thought about attacking him. But I reminded myself that it's Seth, and he needed my help. I couldn't do that to him."

He pats my shoulder gently. "That was very mature of you. You saved his life. If you'd have been a few minutes later, he might not have made it."

I nod, stroking Seth's hair lightly. "I'm glad I found him. And the pack better figure out who did this."

I change quickly, disposing of the bloody clothes before returning to my post at his side. Carlisle is on the phone. "Sam? Yeah. I need you and Jake to come over. I have something very important to discuss with you both. Yeah, noon will be fine. Is Seth scheduled for any patrols today? Because…he'll be here for a while. I'll explain when you get here. Okay, see you then."

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" I ask after he hangs up. "How do we know it wasn't one of them that did it?"

He sighs, looking at Seth sadly. "We don't. But they're the lowest possibility on the list, and we won't find out without them. Plus, here we can get a read on them and know Seth is protected."

I nod begrudgingly. "So we're letting Seth wake up? What do we do if he's in pain? Sedate him again?"

"Well…it's not safe to sedate him again. This was the limit on safely sedating him. He's already weak, and even werewolves have their limits. He probably will be in pain when he wakes up, but at least it will have had a few hours to heal a little. Hopefully it won't be as bad."

I watch Seth nervously. "And if it is too bad for him to handle?"

Carlisle stares at the ground, looking uncomfortable. "If it's not bad enough for him to black out, but it's still bad, we'll have to do what we can to help him through it without medication, at least for the day so what we gave him will work out of his system. The most important thing is keeping him calm. If you have to use your gift to do it, then by all means, do it. Him getting worked up will just slow his healing and make him suffer longer."

"Got it. Calm." Seth stirs slightly, his expression pained. "Here we go." I see Carlisle nod in response. Seth whimpers, and I stroke his hair gently. He wakes with a gasp, searching the room in a panic. When his eyes land on his bandaged torso and the IV in his arm, he starts to struggle. Carlisle holds him by the shoulders, trying to stop him from hurting himself, which only intensifies Seth's panic. I'd hate to force him to calm down, so instead I gently raise his chin until his gaze meets mine. When it does, he momentarily pauses in his struggle. "Seth, it's me, Jasper," I start softly. "I know it's scary, and I know you're in pain, but it's going to be okay. We just need you to calm down and relax so that you don't hurt yourself. You're okay. Just take some deep breaths and calm down."

He hesitates for a moment, but stops struggling. In return, Carlisle loosens his grip. Seth's fear dissipates as he processes his surroundings and remembers what happened. Though he's still in pain, he's at least remaining still so that he's not hurting himself further. "Jasper…It hurts…"

I stroke his hair lightly. "I know, Seth. I'm sorry. We can't give you more medicine right now because we don't want to hurt you. But we're going to try anything we can to help you through it. I could try to use my gift to make you fall asleep, but I'm not sure how long I could hold it. I might be able to lessen it a little bit. Do you want me to try?" He nods, so I take a deep breath and focus on his emotions. His pain is physical, so I can't change it, but I manage to relax him and increase his comfort level a little bit. It's not much, and I don't know how long I can hold it, but for now it's a small relief. He still keeps a firm grip on my hand, but his breathing is a little less tight.

"Talk…please," he manages.

I frown. "Talk? About what?"

A small noise of desperation escapes from between his clenched teeth. "Anything! Just…do something…it helps."

So I sit down next to him and start talking, keeping a firm hold on his emotions. I tell him about Alice and her idea to start sending out Christmas cards, and how it was vetoed after she mentioned the matching Christmas sweaters. I tell him about Rose's new car, and how Emmett still hasn't beaten Bella in a fight, and about the time I made Emmett think he was in love with Edward. When I run out of funny stories, I start talking about myself, a subject I know he's been curious about for a while but was always too shy to ask. Now his questions and curiosity seem to distract him from the pain, so I encourage him to ask whatever he wants to know.

After hours of this, I hear the front door open and close. Seth hears it too, and looks up nervously. "Who's here?" he asks.

I stroke his hair lightly, trying to calm the stab of panic that threatens to undo his progress. "It's just Sam and Jake," I tell him. "Carlisle wanted to talk to them about what happened to you, and to explain why you won't be patrolling for a little while."

"Are they going to come in here?" he asks anxiously.

"I don't know," I admit. "But even if they do, just stay calm. It's helping a lot, and I'll be right here the whole time, I promise. Don't stress. Carlisle and I will take care of everything."

This seems to satisfy him, and he relaxes again. "I'm going to have to stay here for a long time, aren't I?"

"Well, you'll have to stay for as long as is necessary to heal enough. But we'll get you back out there as soon as possible."

He frowns at this. "No, that's okay." He hesitates, realizing what he's saying. "I just don't want to push it," he adds. "I'd rather take the time and heal completely here than out there."

I suspect this has something to do with his attack, but I let it go for now. "That's probably a good idea. You're welcome for as long as you want to be here."

He nods and smiles. "Thanks."

Just then, there is a knock at the door, and Seth grows tense again, becoming more restless as the pain grows as well. "Shh," I murmur soothingly, "It's okay. You have to relax or it'll hurt more. It's okay, I'm right here." He nods, taking a breath and relaxing slightly before nodding to me. "Come in," I say softly.

Carlisle leads Jacob and Sam into the room. Both of their faces are concerned, and I don't find any guilt or resentment in either of them, so I suppose they didn't do it. "How do you feel, kid?" Jacob asks.

Seth grimaces. "Like shit."

Sam nods. "Well, Carlisle's explained to us how you came to be here. Can you tell us what happened?"

The panic rises in Seth again, and I quickly make him look at me. "Hey, it's okay, you don't have to answer if you don't want to. Just breathe. It's okay." He calms again, and I turn to the others. "He's not ready to talk about it. Please don't ask him, it upsets him a lot, and that can only hinder his healing."

Sam nods apologetically. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. Well, we won't stop until we figure out who did this to you. You take as much time as you need to get better. You're safer and better cared for here than you'd be on the rez."

Jacob nods in agreement. "Take your time, and don't worry about us. We'll keep you updated and drop in every now and then. And whoever did this to you will pay for it, I promise."

Seth smiles. "Thank you both. I'll be back out there soon. And tell Leah I'm okay."

"We will," Sam assures him.

After a little more idle chit-chat, the alphas leave to go figure out what happened. Without their distraction, Seth needs something else to take his mind off of the pain. "Jasper?" he asks, "Why am I healing so slowly?"

"You had a lot of really serious injuries that take time to heal. And you lost a lot of blood, so your system is weakened. Don't worry, you will heal in time."

He nods thoughtfully. "Hey Jasper?"

"Hmm?"

He hesitates slightly. "Why didn't you kill me in the forest?"

I sigh, guessing that this would come. "I thought about it," I explain. "My instincts told me to do it. But you're always so nice, and I kind of like you. I reminded myself of that and didn't want to kill you so much. It was hard to stay focused, but you needed me."

He smiles slightly to himself. "Thank you. That must have been hard to go against your instincts like that. You saved my life."

I smile back. "You would have done it if our positions were reversed. I'm here for you for as long as you need me."

He grins. "Okay."

Just then, there's a soft knock on the door and Esme pokes her head into the room. She walks in with a tray which she sets down on a side table before coming over. "Hi boys. Seth, honey, how are you feeling?"

Seth smiles at her. "It still hurts a lot, but I'm not dead."

"Well that's always a plus," she replies. "I brought up some lunch for you."

He eyes the tray curiously. "Thank you. Actually, for once, I'm not that hungry."

Esme gasps dramatically. "Did the words 'not' and 'hungry' just come out of your mouth in the same sentence? You must really feel terrible. I've never met a wolf who wasn't hungry." He laughs softly, even though it hurts him to do so. She grows more serious and concerned. "You've been through a lot. You should at least eat a little bit."

He considers it, but nods, glancing down at his bandaged and plaster-encased arms. "Will you…help me please?"

She smiles softly. "Of course I will, honey." I watch her bring the tray over, grateful that he didn't ask me. My control of his emotions was slipping, and I had to focus on that. Esme gently props his head up against her arm, helping him sip the soup she made. "I talked to your mother," she informs /him. "I explained to her that you'd be staying here for a little while so that Carlisle can treat you. She'll be coming over to see you soon. She sends her love, and I promised I'd take care of you in the meantime."

He nods, accepting the soup she offers. "Thank you. For everything."

"Of course," she says. "If you need anything, you just let me know. I'm always around." When he's done, she lays him down again and begins cleaning up. "I'll be back later to check on you," she says, kissing his forehead gently.

He turns to look at me as she leaves. "Jasper?"

"Hmm?"

"Is it my turn to talk?"

I smile at his innocent question. "If you'd like to, sure."

"I'm really glad you found me," he says.

"I figured as much. If I hadn't, you'd be dead."

He smiles slightly. "Well, yeah, I was glad to be found. But I was glad to be found by _you_."

This comment puzzles me. "Why?"

He flushes slightly. "Because I figure you'd understand more than the others. And I really do enjoy your company."

I smile. "I like your company, too. I know it has to be hard to be away from your family and your pack like this, but your emotions aren't as annoying as the others; they don't hurt so much."

"Glad I could be of service," he grins.

"So how's it feeling?"

He frowns. "Still hurts like being covered in paper cuts and dunked in acid, but the distraction is working a little."

I nod, stroking his hair again. "You're handling it well. It'll be over soon. Tonight I'll ask Carlisle about giving you more pain medication. He says to be safe it has to get out of your system first, so we have to wait."

He nods. "I'm only handling it because of you. I'd be a wreck without you. Thank you for helping me."

"You don't have to thank me," I tell him. "It was the right thing to do. If I was the one who needed help, you'd have helped me in a heartbeat. It's only fair that it goes both ways."

He smiles. "Hey Jasper? Do you think we'll be friends after this?"

This question catches me off guard, and I'm not quite sure how to answer. "I…don't know. I don't have a lot of experience in that department. Do you want to be friends?"

He nods. "Yeah, I think so."

"Well then…I guess we could give it a try."

He grins widely. "Okay."

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**Yay for friends! Please review people! I write faster when I'm happy :P  
~TheSongSmith**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry this one took so long! I had no idea where to go with this, but I always get inspired at 3am, and since I couldn't sleep I started writing, and this is what happened. Enjoy!**

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Seth sleeps peacefully under a much lighter, safer sedative. He's improved a lot over the past few days, but he still needs the sedatives to relax him enough to sleep, though I think that has more to do with his anxiety than his pain. I offered to help, but he declined, saying that I was already helping him so much that he couldn't ask for anything else.

He snores softly as there is a light knock on the door. I open it to find Leah, who immediately wrinkles her noise in disgust. "Where's my brother?" she asks impatiently.

"Nice to see you too. He's here. He's sleeping."

She rolls her eyes and invites herself in, going to sit at the side of the bed. "What's wrong with him?" she asks softly.

"He'll be fine," I explain. "He's healing properly, if slowly, and once his system catches up he'll be good as new." She continues watching him as if I haven't spoken at all. "Whatever you do," I warn her, "Don't ask him what happened."

She nods absently as he stirs. He opens his eyes slowly, frowning when he sees her. "Leah?"

She smiles. "Hey little brother."

"What are you doing here?"

Her smile fades a little. "You didn't honestly think I wouldn't come if you were hurt. Even if you are in the leech's den." He rolls his eyes at this. "I would have come sooner, but Sam and Jake wouldn't let me until they were sure I wouldn't kill someone." She pouts as if she was hoping she would kill someone, and keeps shooting furtive little glares at me.

Seth notices and huffs. "Will you stop that?" he snaps. "If it wasn't for Jasper and Carlisle you wouldn't have a little brother anymore. If you want to be here for me, then stop with the glaring or go home."

She looks slightly taken aback by this, but nods. "You're right. I'm sorry." She looks back at me as if she'd rather have a root canal. "I'm sorry, Jasper," she says reluctantly, "Thank you for saving my brother." This seems to pacify Seth, who lies back against the pillows again. "So," Leah asks, "How are you feeling?"

Seth shrugs. "Not great. Better than I was."

She nods. "Well better is good. Everyone really misses you at home. It just hasn't been the same without you."

Seth smiles. "Let me guess," he teases gently, "You've been sulking in your wolf form?"

She grins. "Yeah, but what else is new?"

He chuckles softly. "How's mom?"

"She's alright, all things considered. She wanted to come up here immediately, but Charlie convinced her to give you a few days since they knew you'd be alright. Then she wanted to come with me, but I made sure she was busy before I went. I wanted to make sure she wouldn't freak out first."

He nods. "Thank you. I know how she can be. I think it's safe for her to come now."

"I'll tell her," she assures him.

They chat idly for a while longer before Leah has to go on patrol. As the door closes behind her, Seth turns to me. "I'm sorry about her."

I shrug. "It's okay. We're pretty used to that."

"That doesn't excuse it," he insists. "You're a person just like her. She just can't seem to understand that."

I smile, squeezing his hand lightly. "Don't worry about it, Seth. She'll come around eventually. I'm not mad." He nods slowly, exhausted from the energy used by his anger. For once he falls asleep on his own.

After a while, Carlisle enters quietly. "How's he been?" he whispers.

"Okay. He fell asleep without the medicine. I didn't want to mess with it."

He nods. "That's good. Maybe he's moving past that."

I probe Carlisle's feelings idly, and what I find surprises me. He's sad, a kind of mix of sorrow and pity and confusion. "Carlisle?" I ask quietly. "Do you know something?"

He sighs softly, watching Seth sadly. "I…have a patchwork theory." I nod, waiting for him to go on. Gently, he takes Seth's wrist, carefully undoing the bandage wrapped around it. When I first brought him in here, I was too focused on keeping him alive to really look at his wounds, and they've been bandaged ever since. But now, as Carlisle pulls the bandage aside, I see it. Though it has faded considerably, there is a red mark around the entirety of his wrist, where something had dug into the skin. I unwrap his other wrist to reveal a matching one.

"So…he was…what? Handcuffed?" I ask.

"Or otherwise restrained, yes. That's probably partly why he panicked so much when I held him to the table." He wraps the wrist again and pulls the collar of Seth's shirt down a little to reveal a similar, thicker mark around his neck.

"A collar?" I guess. "Is this…some strange sort of dog fetish or something?"

He shakes his head. "I don't think so. The wrist restraints were most likely a type of fabric. He could have broken them by phasing. But this one doesn't fit as snugly. I think it was to stop him from phasing. Probably made of a strong metal that would cut into his throat if he phased."

I frown, lightly running a finger over the mark. "But if he didn't phase, why was he naked?" Carlisle sighs and looks up at me, and the sorrow in his eyes is enough to make me understand. "My God. No wonder he doesn't want to talk about it. Did you find any evidence of…?"

He nods sadly. "Yes. I think many of his injuries occurred during the struggle. These marks indicate that he fought the restraints. I believe this is why he won't talk about it. He's ashamed. He doesn't want anyone to know. He's terrified of what will happen if someone finds out. That's why he panics."

Suddenly, all the strange behaviors make sense, and my heart aches. A low growl escapes me before I can stop it. "How, Carlisle? How could anyone do this? How could one of his brothers hurt him like this?"

"I don't know, Jasper," he admits. "I don't know. But we'll figure it out. For now all we can do is try to be supportive and help him through this. It's probably best not to let on that you know; if he's so afraid that it sends him into panic attacks, we should wait until he's ready to come to us."

I nod. "Does anyone else know about this?"

"Esme," he replies, "But she won't say a word. I've been keeping it from everyone else. They don't need to know, especially when he's not comfortable talking yet."

"You told me," I point out.

He sighs, watching Seth sleep for another moment. "It's clear you're the one who helps him the most. It'll be easier to help him when you know why he does what he does. And besides, I think you'll be the first person he'll tell. It would do both of you some good if you're not taken by surprise like that. It'll be easier to handle. He's going to have some intense emotions, and he'll need you to be focused."

I nod slowly, vowing revenge on whoever did this to him.

"Jasper, when's the last time you left this room?" he asks suddenly.

"I'm a vampire. I'm perfecting fine staying still."

He sighs. "Why don't you go downstairs and spend an hour with Alice or someone?"

I shake my head. "I can't. I promised. He needs me more. Maybe when he's better, but I can't right now."

He nods understandingly. "Okay. I understand. I'll be in my office if you need anything."

In an hour or so, Seth begins to stir. He frowns, mumbling something in his sleep. "No…" he says, fighting with the sheets. I shake him gently, and he wakes from his nightmare screaming. He gasps, struggling to breathe, and his heart thuds wildly in his chest. He is absolutely terrified, in the throes of a panic attack, and I think I know what he was dreaming about. When he sees me, he reaches out. "J-Jasper-r…" he whimpers, dry sobs interrupting his speech.

There's nothing I can do to stop the panic attack in its tracks, but I can help him calm down and end it sooner. I hold him close as he sobs into my chest. "Shh, Seth. It's alright, it was just a dream. You're safe. It's okay, I'm not going anywhere. Just breathe, kid. I'm right here." He clings to me tightly, his breathing tight and frantic. I continue murmuring to him, rubbing his back gently in an attempt to soothe him. When his sobbing continues, I gently raise his chin. "Seth, listen to me," I say softly. "Everything is alright. You're safe here. I'm not going anywhere. But you need to calm down before you make yourself sick. I'm right here. You're okay. Just breathe."

He nods as I feel a slight edge of desperation line the terror. "H-Help me…" he begs, knowing I don't like to use my gift on him without his permission. But I hate seeing him suffer, so he doesn't have to ask me twice. I start sending out calm waves, slowly increasing the intensity. I could completely calm him, but I want him to be able to do this for himself. Once I get him started, he's able to do the rest, and soon he relaxes in my arms, breathing easier. "Thank you…" he murmurs into my shirt.

I nod, stroking his hair lightly. "Feel better?"

"Yeah," he says, pulling away with a slight embarrassment, "I'm fine. Thank you."

"Of course," I reply, hoping he'll look at me. When he doesn't, I gently raise his chin. His face is flushed and his eyes are red-rimmed from crying. I gently wipe away the tear stains on his cheeks, and I can both see and feel his gratitude. He smiles slightly as my thumb continues to lightly stroke his cheek for a moment, and that's all it takes for me to relax. "So," I say, changing the subject, "Are you hungry?"

An odd little laugh escapes him. "I just had a meltdown, and you're asking if I'm hungry?"

I shrug. "Considering everything that's happened, I'd say you're entitled to the occasional meltdown. I'm just glad we were able to stop it before you passed out," I say, gently pressing my hand to his face, cooling the flushed skin.

He sighs in relief, holding my hand in place. "I'm pretty glad of that myself, actually. Passing out is not fun."

"I wouldn't imagine it would be. But seriously, are you okay?"

He nods. "I'm fine. Thank you for helping me." He grins. "Though, yes, I am a bit hungry."

I call downstairs, asking someone to bring up food, knowing that Seth doesn't want me to leave the room. "It was no problem," I assure him. "And…Seth? You know I'll always be here if you ever want to talk, right? I won't judge you. I'm a good listener."

He nods gratefully. "I know, Jasper. Thank you. I just need to…process it all myself, first."

I smile as Esme brings in a tray of food. "Of course. Take your time. I've got forever."

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**DUN DUN DUNNN! There you go, a teasing little hint for all you plot seekers out there. Please review! It makes me so happy and inspires me at times other than 3am when I have a 7:30am class. Love you!**

**~TheSongSmith  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**Frienship is magic, you guys. Remember that.**

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"Shh, Seth. Calm down. I'm here. You're okay." He's having another panic attack, but I'm getting better at stopping them. He calms down quickly.

"Thank you," he says. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Least I could do," I sigh, "Considering it was my fault this time."

"It wasn't your fault!" he insists. But it was. He shifted around in his sleep, and, concerned that he would agitate his injuries, I gently tugged him back by the wrist, which sent him into a panic, thinking he was trapped. As I think, he shoves me lightly. "Stop that. It wasn't your fault, and I'm over it. Let it go."

I sigh and nod, if only to make him happy. "Okay, okay."

This seems to pacify him, and he lies back down again."Jasper? When can I get up? I haven't gotten off the bed in forever!"

I lightly run my fingers through his hair, trying to soothe his restlessness. "I know, it sucks. I'll get Carlisle to check your wounds." He nods, but I can both see and feel his nerves. "Don't worry," I say softly. "Carlisle is the best at what he does. He won't hurt you."

He nods uneasily. "I know that. I'm just afraid of what I look like under the bandages. I don't want to see that I haven't healed."

I shush him gently. "Seth, you have healed. You've been here almost a week, and you're getting stronger every day. You're going to be just fine. You just need a little time to get yourself together, that's all."

He nods begrudgingly as I call for Carlisle, who appears almost instantly. "What can I do for you?"

"Seth wants to know when he can get out of bed. Could you give us an update on his healing?'

Carlisle nods and moves to the side of the bed. As he starts gently unwrapping the bandages covering Seth's body, the wolf squeezes his eyes shut tightly, too afraid to look as, slowly, patches of tanned skin emerge between the white. I watch in amazement as I see that the previously red, raw skin has been replaced, leaving the light brown of his chest and stomach smooth and unblemished, with only a small scattering of unhealed marks left. The marks around his wrists and neck are almost gone, and his bones have healed in perfect alignment. I carefully help him sit up so Carlisle can examine the marks on his back. I likely run a finger along the lighter line of a scar that will disappear by tomorrow.

I notice that Seth still has his eyes closed, and I nudge him lightly. "Open your eyes, Seth. You're fine."

I lay him back against the pillows as he cautiously peeks out. His eyes widen as they scan his chest, looking for the evidence of the trauma he experienced. Now it looks at most like a small scuffle. Carlisle smiles and pats his shoulder gently. "Amazing, isn't it? The things a body can do in a week."

Seth nods absently. "So…does this mean I have to go home?" he asks.

Though I know he's heard it, Carlisle doesn't comment on his choice of words. "It means I can't stop you from going if you want to go. But I'd really like you to stay a while longer, and I'm sure everyone else would like you to stay as well. We enjoy having you around. And, medically speaking, you can't rest too much."

He relaxes slightly at this. "Thank you, Carlisle. For everything. I doubt I'd be alive without you. I think I will stay." He clears his throat nervously. "To be safe."

Carlisle smiles. "Of course. You're welcome here as long as you want. You are allowed to start moving around a bit, but I'd still like you to rest for a while each day."

Seth nods. "You got it, Doc. Can I at least take a shower today?"

"Of course," Carlisle chuckles. "Just be careful you don't slip and break something else, okay?"

Seth laughs. "I'll try." He thinks as Carlisle slips out, before turning to me. "So…you do have showers, right?"

I roll my eyes. "Yes Seth, we do shower on occasion."

"Well how am I supposed to know? It's not like it's a normal thing to ask someone."

"I suppose that would be rather strange. Come on, you can use mine and Alice's. As long as you don't use Rosalie's, you'll be fine." He takes my hand and slowly maneuvers out of the bed. He stands a little shakily, gripping my arm for support, but makes it to the bathroom. "Towels and soap and stuff are in the cabinet. You'll probably want to steer clear of anything pink. Those are all Alice's, and you'll end up smelling like some kind of flower or something. You can use anything of mine, I don't care."

He laughs. "Thanks for the warning."

I step outside, sitting down in the room with a book. It's been ten minutes when I hear a thud and a muffled curse. I slowly approach the door. "Seth?"

He sighs heavily. "Jasper…I need help."

"What do you need help with?" I ask carefully.

"I fell. I need help getting up."

I slowly walk in to find him sitting on the floor of the shower, flushed with embarrassment and trying to cover his lap. I hold back an eye roll. "Okay, you're never going to get off the floor like that. It's not like I've never seen a penis." His embarrassment grows, and I sigh. "It's not like I've never seen it, Seth. I happen to have one too. It's cool. I'm not judging."

He gives up with a sigh and allows me to pull him up. "Thanks."

I nod. "You done?"

"Almost. Give me a minute?"

"Sure." I step outside again and wait until Seth emerges, a towel wrapped around his waist. I hand him a bag of his clothes and turn away as he dresses. I feel a sudden stab of frustration. "What's wrong?"

He sighs. "I've never been so weak in my life," he mutters.

I carefully turn back to find him dressed and sitting on the bed. I sit down next to him. "Well that can happen when you've just gotten back from Death's doorstep." He rolls his eyes. "Seriously, Seth, you lost most of the blood in your body, you were fatally injured, and you haven't moved in a week. Don't worry. You'll be good as new in a few days, I promise. One step at a time, okay?"

He sighs, but nods. "Okay. It's just hard to go from being stronger than normal to being weaker. I'm not used to it anymore."

"Well you won't have to be used to it. You'll be back to normal very, very soon."

"Mhm. Speaking of the fact that I haven't moved in a week, you haven't either."

"And?" I prompt.

"And you're hungry. Or…thirsty. Or whatever it is you get."

I scoff. "I am not."

He laughs suddenly. "Yeah, you are. I can tell."

"Oh yeah? And how exactly can you tell?"

He looks me over once. "Your eyes are dark, you're more tense than usual, and you have that sort of sick expression on like you might throw up. Go hunt."

"No. I'm fine. And how do you notice all that anyway?"

Seth shrugs. "I'm good at reading body language. You're especially not exempt to that. You're easy to read. And you're not fine."

I sigh. "Fine, I'm not perfect, but I don't need to go right now. I'll be fine. My control isn't that fragile."

He smirks. "I don't know, being around me could be dangerous considering my tendency to spontaneously start bleeding at inopportune moments. I could fall down a flight of stairs or…get a paper cut."

At this last sentence, he turns to me, eyebrows raised. "Okay, that time was not about the paper cut," I insist, "It was about the whole getting thrown into a piano fiasco! She was bleeding all over the place, and I was feeling everyone else's bloodlust, and really it was Edward's fault!"

He laughs. "I know, Jasper. I'm only kidding. That's what friends _do,_ you know."

"…Oh. Right. Well, in that case…what's that expression? Oh yeah. Fuck you." His laughter grows until he's almost falling on the floor. "What?"

He takes a moment to control himself. "I don't…think…I've ever…heard you curse…before!" he gasps, out of breath, before dissolving into giggles again.

He laughs for another five minutes. It's contagious, and I can't help but laugh along with him. Eventually his laughter subsides until it's only small bursts of giggles. Ten minutes later he snorts, and we both lose it. After a while, when we've both managed to take a few breaths, I smile. "What friends do, huh?" He nods, grinning. "Well, I suppose I could handle that."

"Good. But you're still going hunting."

I roll my eyes. "Fine. I'll go, but not this minute." He looks at me skeptically. "Soon, I promise," I assure him.

He nods. "Okay. But be warned. If you don't, I'll tell Alice."

I chuckle and shove him lightly, handing him the remote. He turns the Food Network on, and I laugh, content with the quiet moment.

* * *

**Yay for friends! Big things are coming up next chapter, but I wanted to throw in a little fluff for you guys.**  
** Review please!  
**

**~TheSongSmith  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Here we go with a big new chapter! I'll blab more at the bottom, enjoy!**

* * *

Seth is moved out of Carlisle's office and into one of the empty bedrooms due to the fact that he doesn't require much serious medical care anymore. As I walk back after my hunt, I find him sprawled on the bed, watching TV. "Happy now?" I ask, sitting in one of the chairs.

He checks my eyes quickly to be sure. "Yes," he concludes finally.

He goes back to watching for a few minutes before I speak up. "Hey, Seth? Can I ask you a question?"

He grins. "You just did, but you can ask another. What's up?"

"Well," I start carefully, "I know you don't want to talk about what happened. Which is fine," I add in response to his look. "I'm only going to ask one question and we can leave it at that if you don't want to talk." He nods, waiting for me to continue. "Did you…know the person who hurt you?"

He hesitates for a moment. "No," he says quietly. "Well…yes. But it wasn't really him." I nod, determined to live up to my word, though the curiosity is eating at me. "It was like something else was controlling him," he explains, then hesitates. "Jasper?"

"Mm?"

"If I...wanted to talk to you. About what happened. Would you tell anyone else?"

I hesitate for a moment, choosing my words carefully. "Well…you will have to tell some people eventually, so they can make sure you're safe. But if you wanted it to stay between us for a little while, then…I won't tell anyone else."

"What about Edward?" he asks nervously.

"There are ways to keep things from him."

He nods, relieved. "Could we…take a walk? Somewhere private?"

"Sure," I reply, knowing why he's asking for privacy. "I know just the place. I'll show you." He gets out of bed and follows me outside. We walk silently through the woods for a long time before I stop by a river. "There. We're far enough out that no one will hear us."

He nods gratefully. "Thanks." I sit down at the bank of the river, watching him follow. "So," he says, "I guess you want me to tell you what happened."

"I'd like you to tell me when you're comfortable telling me. I won't judge you for anything that happened or didn't happen. I'm your friend. That won't change. I'm here to listen, whenever you're ready to talk." He doesn't respond, but I notice him relaxing a bit.

I lay down in the grass next to him. We sit in silence for a little while before he takes a deep breath and begins. "I was just walking around in the woods. I like it out here. And then…I saw him."

He breaks off, looking down at the water. "Can you tell me who he was?" I prompt gently.

"Well…it looked like Paul. But it wasn't. You can think I'm in denial, but there was something really off. It wasn't really him. Someone else was…controlling him or something."

I nod seriously. "If you say it wasn't him, I believe you."

He is immediately relieved and grateful. "Thank you. So I noticed something seemed wrong, and I approached him. I asked him what was wrong, and he didn't answer. So I got a little closer. And he grabbed me." He shivers slightly, and I wait patiently for him to continue. "Well, he must have drugged me or something, because everything got kind of fuzzy. When I came around my hands were tied behind my back and I had a silver sort of collar. The edge was really sharp. I tried to phase, but I was still too out of it. He told me that if I phased, the collar would slit my throat."

"So you didn't," I finish.

"Exactly. I couldn't take that risk. I tried to fight back other ways. I tried to resist. But all I managed to do was exhaust myself and gain some new injuries. So once I was tired out, he pushed me to my knees on this kind of wooden board. He tied my ankles to it, and then my wrists. I couldn't budge, and the collar was already digging into my throat. There was nothing I could do to stop him," he says, voice wavering slightly.

Now I know is the hard part. "Seth, did he…did he rape you?"

He hesitates for a moment, and if I hadn't been a vampire, I wouldn't have registered the slight nod, or the silent tear slowly tracing a path down his cheek. I reach out and pull him close, relieved when he leans into the touch. "I'm so, so sorry, Seth," I murmur, wiping his tears gently. "You didn't deserve for that to happen. I swear to you, I won't let it happen again, okay? I'll keep you safe. It's going to be okay." He clings to me tightly as he allows his emotions to come to the surface. The force of them is painful, and I want to stop it, but I know he needs me now more than ever, and he needs to deal with his feelings. So I hold him close, rubbing his back gently and murmuring softly to him as he sobs into my shoulder.

We stay that way for a long time, and eventually he quiets when he can't cry anymore. Then I rock him gently until his trembling stops. Cautiously, he looks up at me. I smile reassuringly. "Thank you for telling me," I murmur. "I promised nothing would change between us, and it hasn't. I'm glad you trusted me enough to tell me, though. I won't tell anyone unless you say it's okay."

"Y-You're not d-disgusted with m-me?" he asks shakily.

I hug him tightly. "Of course not. Why would I be? Seth, none of this was your fault. It was a terrible thing that happened to you, but it was in no way your fault. And I will personally see to it that whoever did this to you will pay for it. I promise. You don't have to be ashamed. You've done nothing wrong. I'm staying right here. I'll be here for you, no matter what. And so will the others. And if they're not, then it's their loss. But I will always be here."

He nods, relaxing somewhat against my chest. "T-Thanks." I nod, continuing to hold him as his emotions shift and grow less intense. "After that he beat me a little more for good measure, and then when I couldn't hold myself up anymore he untied me and left me there," he murmurs, resting his head under my chin. I nod slowly, feeling his uneven breaths against my collarbone as he attempts to calm himself. We must sit that way for over an hour before he looks up again. "What am I-I going to d-do?" he whispers.

"Well, firstly, since you're sure it wasn't really Paul, we need to figure out what it was that did this. And we need to figure out how to help you. If you'd like to see a counselor, we can arrange for one. If you'd just like to talk to me or someone specific, you can do that. We'll do whatever will help you the most. And you can stay here for as long as you'd like if it makes you feel safer."

He nods thoughtfully. "I definitely want to stay here for a while. And…I think I'd just like to talk to you, or maybe Carlisle later."

"That's fine. Whenever you want to talk, I'm here. I understand why you didn't want to tell anyone, but I think telling Carlisle, Jacob and Sam is a very important step to find out who did this. You don't have to tell them immediately, but I do think they should know, if only to make you feel better."

"I think you're right," he agrees. "I'm just afraid of what they'll think when I tell them."

I rub his back gently. "They're not going to think any differently of you. You're their friend. Their brother. They want to keep you safe just as much I do. And besides, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. You have a whole bunch of people who will never stop caring about you."

He nods slowly. "Thank you, Jasper," he whispers. "I don't know what I would have done without you."

I smile gently, thinking about saying these exact same words about Alice. "You don't have to worry about that anymore. I'm not going anywhere." I can feel his gratitude at this.

"Jasper?" he asks after a while, "Do I have to tell them now?"

"Well, you don't have to tell them right now," I say carefully. "How about we call a meeting for tomorrow and talk to them then?"

He nods. "Will you come with me?"

"If you'd like."

"Okay then," he agrees. "We'll tell them tomorrow."

* * *

**Poor Seth :( But who is behind this mystery attack? Please review, it makes me happy, and I'd love to see what your predictions are.**

**Until next time,**

**TheSongSmith  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey peeps! Back with another installment for you guys. Enjoy!**

* * *

I watch Seth pace the floor, as he's been doing for two hours now. He's wrestling with his emotions, and is clearly losing. I feel his fear overcome him for the billionth time today, already reacting before I hear his whispered "Jasper…" begging me to help him calm down, yet another staple of the morning.

I sigh, sitting down on the bed. "Seth, come here before you wear a groove in the floor." He slowly walks over, sighing when I put an arm around him. "You're freaking out, kid. You need to calm down."

A soft, desperate whimper escapes him. "I know! I'm trying!"

"Okay, I know you are," I shush him soothingly. "What are you so afraid of?"

He sighs, putting his head in his hands. "I…I don't know…I just am."

"Come on Seth, you can do better than that. Think about it. What are you scared of?"

I watch him take a deep breath before answering. "I'm scared of what they'll do. How things will change between us. If I'll still be their friend, or if they'll just pity me. If Sam will even listen long enough…"

He trails off, looking down at his lap miserably. I carefully take his hand, squeezing gently. "Seth, you're trying to cross a bridge we haven't gotten to yet. Just relax. They're your friends, Seth. They care about you. And we'll make Sam listen. We're in this together, right? So calm down and focus on one thing at a time." He nods, relaxing slightly. I check my watch and turn to him. "Deep breaths, buddy. The faster we do this, the faster you can stop worrying. Just stay calm."

He swallows hard, and I can hear his heart hammering in his chest. "Alright," he answers shakily, but makes no move to get up.

I sigh, putting an arm around him and keeping a firm grip on his hand. "Come on, you can hold onto me as much as you want. That's what I'm here for."

His heart slows a bit as he nods gratefully. "Thanks. I'm ready," he whispers. I slowly walk him to Carlisle's office, feeling him take a shaky breath before walking in and sitting on the couch, pulling me with him.

Carlisle smiles softly from behind the desk when we enter. "Hello boys. I know this must be terribly difficult, Seth, but remember, none of us is here to judge you. We just want to help." Seth nods, and Carlisle pats his shoulder gently. "Jacob and Sam should be here soon. I'll give you two some time."

He starts towards the door, and Seth looks up from his lap. "Carlisle?"

"Yes, Seth?"

"Could you please ask Esme to come here for a minute?"

Carlisle smiles. "Of course. She'll be here in a minute."

His footsteps retreat, followed by murmuring, and smaller footsteps coming closer. Esme appears at the door, a sympathetic look in her eyes. "Seth, did you need something?"

He hesitates, but nods and pats the seat next to him. She sits down lightly, putting a gentle hand on his arm, and he calms a little more. "I was wondering if maybe…you'd, um…stay? I mean, you don't have to, it's just…" He continues to ramble for a minute before she shushes him gently.

"If you're comfortable with me staying, I'll absolutely stay."

He nods gratefully, leaning his head against her shoulder as she takes his other hand, using her free hand to lightly stroke his hair. "You'll be okay, honey. You'll feel a lot better when this is over," she murmurs soothingly. "I know it's hard, but you're strong. You can do it, I know you can. And Jasper and I will be here for you." She smiles as Seth relaxes slightly into her touch.

The front door opens and closes, and three sets of footsteps move closer. Seth draws a shallow breath, then another as Carlisle appears, followed closely by Jacob and Sam. Seth's breath hitches, but he doesn't go into a full panic attack like I expected. Esme continues to soothe him gently, and he relaxes a bit more. "Hi guys," he says quietly.

They smile. "Hey kid," Jacob says softly. "How are you feeling?"

Seth smiles a little. "I'm much better. Doc says I'll make a full recovery."

"That's great," he replies.

I look them both over carefully. Jake is relatively relaxed, though worried. Sam is highly uncomfortable, glancing around at all of us nervously, like he thinks this is a trap. All three of them sit across from us, and all eyes turn to Seth. He glanced first at me, waiting for my nod, then at Esme, who smiles encouragingly, before taking a deep breath.

"I'm ready to tell you what happened," he says softly. The others lean forward slightly, except Sam, who leans back a little, clearly uncomfortable. Seth takes another breath, biting his bottom lip. His mouth opens and closes a few times, trying to figure out what to say. Finally, he speaks. "I was, um…assaultedandraped," he rushes, shuddering slightly as the words leave his lips.

I watch shock play over the faces of the two alphas. Carlisle, ever the professional, just nods silently, and Esme squeezes his hand gently. With that out in the open, Seth relaxes more against Esme and I, waiting for a response.

Jacob finds his voice first. "R-Raped?" he asks, still in shock. Seth nods, and Jacob sighs. "Seth, man, I'm so sorry. I don't even know what to say. Do you know who it was, so we can at least make them pay for it?"

Seth bites his lip again. "Well, it looked like Paul, but-"

At this, Sam jolts up from his seat with a growl, making Seth jump back. "Paul did this?!" he asks angrily, storming towards the door.

"No, I…Sam, it wasn't…" Seth stammers, looking to me for help.

"Sam, let him finish," I say, neutralizing his anger as he stops and turns.

Seth sighs in relief. "Sam, it wasn't really Paul. It looked like him, but it wasn't, I swear. It was all wrong. I don't know if something was controlling him, or…I don't know, but please believe me. It wasn't him."

Sam sighs, sitting back down. "If you're sure…"

Carlisle has his thinking look on again. "Seth, did it smell like Paul?" he asks.

"Smell like Paul?" Seth asks. He thinks for a minute, his brow creasing. "No, I guess it didn't. Not like him at all. Why, do you have an idea?"

He nods slowly. "The wolves are shifters, people who shift into wolves. It is possible that there are other shifters out there who's abilities might be a bit more diverse."

"You think another shifter did this?" Jacob asks. "But why?"

"I don't know yet," Carlisle says thoughtfully. "But I do believe it's a large possibility."

"And…you're sure it wasn't Paul?" Sam asks again.

Seth sighs. "I'm sure, Sam. He has a temper, but Paul would never rape me."

"Well we'll see if we can find out about some other shifters and if it's possible," Jacob says. "Thanks for telling us, Seth. You know we're always here for you if you need anything."

Seth nods, relieved. "Thank you Jake. I'd appreciate it if this didn't get out to the rest of the pack…"

He nods. "Of course. We'll keep working on it and get back to you."

Sam opens the door to reveal Paul, frozen in shock, his hand poised to knock on the door. Seth shrinks back a little, hiding his face in my shoulder as he tries to calm himself. Esme runs her fingers through his hair, trying to calm his racing heart. "What the hell are you doing here Paul?" Sam asks.

His tone seems to shake Paul out of his stupor a little. "I um…you said to let you know…if we found anything…" He looks to Seth, still cowering in my shoulder, and his eyes are pained. "Seth, bro…I would never…I'm so sorry…"

Seth calms, slowly looking up at him. "I know, I'm sorry about that. I know it wasn't you. Whatever it was, it looked just like you."

Paul nods slowly. "I'm so sorry," he says again. "I promise we'll find out what it was that did it. We'll make them pay."

Seth smiles slightly. "I know, Paul. If anyone can do it, you can. I'm not mad at you, I promise. It just startled me, that's all."

He nods again. "Thank you. And I promise I won't tell anyone."

Seth nods. "I know you won't. I trust you."

Paul relaxes. "What did you find, Paul?" Sam asks.

"Oh, I'm not really sure, Sam. Quil was searching around the area where Seth was attacked and told me to get you. I'm not sure what he found."

Sam nods. "Alright, we'll go check it out. We'll keep you guys posted. Don't worry, Seth. We'll figure it out."

Seth nods, smiling a little. "I know you will. I'll see you soon."

As they exit, Seth relaxes against the couch, breathing deeper than he has all morning. Esme kisses his cheek gently. "You must be hungry. I'll make you some food."

He smiles. "Thank you, Esme. For everything." She smiles before going downstairs.

Carlisle pats his knee gently. "Thank you for telling us, Seth. If there's anything I can do, please let me know."

"Of course, Doc. You've already done so much. I think I'm gonna be okay."

He nods. "Take as much time as you need. You know you're always welcome here."

Seth smiles and stands up from the couch. "I know, and I can't tell you how grateful I am." He starts towards the door, then looks back at me. "Coming Jazz?" Without waiting for an answer, he walks downstairs, joining Esme in the kitchen.

Carlisle laughs softly. "Look at that. Like a whole different kid than this morning, huh?"

"I guess he just really needed to get that off his chest." I walk downstairs to find him and Esme throwing spaghetti against the wall. They both laugh when it sticks.

"Alright honey, go sit down," Esme says as she finishes.

Seth turns and smiles as he sees me, plopping down in a chair. Esme places a plate in front of him, and he dives into it. "Wanna do something today?" he asks me, his mouth full of spaghetti.

"Um…sure," I reply, studying him carefully.

He smiles and continues eating. When he's done, he helps Esme clean up the kitchen before looking at me. "Hey Jasper?"

"Hmm?"

He grins, looking forever like a puppy. "Thank you. For today…and everything. I wouldn't have made it without you."

I smile. "You're welcome, Seth. Come on, let's figure out what to do today."

* * *

**Yay! So what do you guys think? Please review! They make me smile! :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**Some fluff and drama all wrapped up in a neat little chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

With that massive secret off his chest, Seth becomes a whole new person. His smile returns, as well as his enthusiasm, and his nightmares and panic attacks grow less frequent every day. He even looks healthier. Carlisle thinks it was a reaction to the stress that made him look sicker than he was. Now, there's no stopping him. Two weeks after revealing what happened, he floors me yet again. "Hey Jasper?" he asks on my way out the door, "Are you going hunting?"

"Yeah. Why?"

He bites his lip for a moment. "Can I come?"

I stare at him for a moment, unsure of what to say. "Um…why?"

"Well, I think it's kind of interesting. I mean, if you don't want me to, I understand."

I hesitate, but nod. "Yeah, okay. You can come." I lead him outside before pausing. "Are you sure about this, Seth?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Well," I say carefully, "I don't want to freak you out or anything. I think it'd probably look a little scary."

He smiles. "Don't worry, I understand. I won't be freaked out, I promise."

"Okay…if you're sure."

He nods, so I start walking into the woods. When we're far enough away from anyone, I stop, closing my eyes and letting my senses take over. I can feel him watching, but do my best to ignore it. I catch the faint scent of a den of bears to the west. Not my favorite, but it'll do. I take off in the direction, getting as close as I can before crouching behind a bush. Looking behind me, I see that Seth has kept up, crouching also. Turning my attention to the bears, I wait until the perfect moment before springing out and grabbing the biggest one by the throat, taking it down and draining it quickly. I catch a few more, drinking until I'm full, before remembering Seth and turning back to find him. Still crouched behind the bush, looking a little pale with an expression of shock, he seems to be frozen. I sigh, approaching him slowly. "Seth? Buddy? You okay?"

Suddenly he laughs, shaking his head quickly. "Wow. Of all the things I imagined that being like, I think that still takes the cake."

"So, you're not freaked out?"

He grins. "Not really. I mean, I never want to be on your bad side, but it was kind of cool. Did it bother you to have me watching?"

I shrug. "Not really. I was just worried you'd be afraid of me or something. I'd hate it if that happened."

"Well, if I hadn't gotten to know you first, I'd probably be scared. But I know you'd never hurt me," he says confidently. "Are you done?"

I nod. "Yeah. What do you want to do now?"

He thinks for a moment. "Could we just…sit down and talk?"

I can't help but chuckles softly as I sit down on the ground next to him. Of all the things in the world, sitting down and talking is probably Seth's favorite. "Sure, we can talk. What do you want to talk about?"

"Well, um…I was wondering if you'd tell me more about where you came from. I mean, you don't have to, I'm just curious." I'd come to expect that this would be his answer. Of all the things Seth loved learning about, which was a very long list, I was usually near the top.

"Okay. What do you want to know?"

He bites his lip for a minute. "Did you have a family? When you were human?"

I idly probe his emotions for a moment, finding only the sincerest desire to learn. "I did. Well, if that's what you want to call it." He stays quiet, waiting for me to continue. "I had a Mama and Daddy and a little sister. And I almost married a girl."

His eyes light up a bit. "Will you tell me about them?"

I nod. "Sure. My Mama was a real southern lady. You'll never find another one like her. Most people think that southern ladies just have tea parties and wear gloves, but a true southern lady could get anything done if she wanted to. People always said I got my stubbornness from my Mama. She was a hell of a woman, that's for sure. Didn't ever take no for an answer if she wanted something."

Seth smiles. "And the others?"

"Well, my Daddy…he was a hard man to please. It was his way or the highway, and he made sure you remembered your lesson. Sometimes I can still feel my butt burning from his lashing." Seth frowns a little. "Well, he drank a lot, like most men in those days did, but he was a mean drunk. And I was his favorite victim." I shrug. "Stuff happens, I guess. Anyway, when things got really bad, sometimes I'd pass out for days. Only my sister ever helped me out."

He nods solemnly. "And your sister? How old was she when you left for the army?"

"Well…my sister was…she was something. I loved her more than anything. I used to call her blossom, 'cause of the way she'd kind of light up and open when she learned something new or got something done, but her real name was Anna. She had fire in her. We were all each other had, with my Daddy the way he was and my Mama scared of him. We stuck together, the two of us. She'd take care of me when things got bad. But a few months before I left, she got real sick and died. I think she was around nine or so. That's when I decided to join the army in the first place. After she left us, I didn't have any more reasons to stay."

I look up to find Seth sketching in the small pad he's carried around lately, but his focus is somewhere else. "I'm sorry, she sounds really nice," he says absently. "And the girl you were going to marry?"

I chuckle softly. "The most eligible girl in town, I think. But not my style. I'm not trying to be mean, but she was dumb as a sack of rocks. Just one of those frilly, giggly girls. We were kind of pushed together, being that I was the oldest, most well-off boy in town. Laura, I think her name was. We were gonna get married after the war, but when I disappeared they told everyone I was a casualty of war. I went back to check up on her a while after. Married some other guy, a white picket fence and gaggle of children, the whole nine yards. She was happy."

He nods again, his fingers still working on the sketch. "Does it bother you to talk about things like that?"

"Well, I don't like to with most people. But I don't mind so much with you."

He smiles at that. "I'm glad. I enjoy hearing about it."

My eyes travel to the mysterious pad. "What are you drawing?"

Seth flushes slightly. "It's uh…just a sketch…not very good…I was trying to draw your family." He turns the pad around to reveal for penciled figures, three standing together and one a bit separated. What's most shocking is how accurate the likenesses are.

"How did you know how we looked? I never said anything about that."

He flushes a deeper red. "Were there any, um, pictures of your family?"

"There was a portrait…it got ruined in a house fire a few years after my disappearance. Why?"

"Well, Carlisle promised I could tell you," he starts. "It wasn't completely ruined. He found it."

I stare at him for a moment. "He…found it?"

Seth nods. "Only half of it was burned. The other half ended up with some historical society. And he got it from them. It was kind of supposed to be a surprise, but…oops."

A little flicker of hope springs up in my chest at the thought of a picture of my sister. "And…they're all in it?"

"Everyone except your dad. Most of him was in the part that got burned. It's back at the house if you want to see it. And thanks for telling me about them."

I smile, standing up. "No problem. Let's go see!"

He laughs, getting up. "Alright, lead the way." We start towards the house, but suddenly Carlisle appears, running from the house. "What's wrong?" Seth asks.

"Sam called. He needs us all to go to Emily's house. Quil is waiting at the border for us." From the worry in him voice and the fact that we're being allowed across the border, I know it has to be bad. We run as fast as we can towards the line until Quil comes into view. There are deep worry lines in his face, too many for one so young. He doesn't say anything as he leads us to Emily's house.

"Quil, what's going on?" Seth asks.

A pained look crosses Quil's face for a moment, and I feel his worry. "Sam made me promise. He wants to explain himself. I'm sorry."

Seth grows more worried by the minute, unconsciously shifting closer to me. When we reach the house and find the full pack, all looking exhausted, he gasps sharply. Sam steps forward, wary of Carlisle and I, but also worried. "Sam, what's wrong? Is someone hurt?" Seth asks, starting to panic.

"No, no, everyone's okay," the alpha assures him. We just had a bit of a situation. We think the good doctor was right about your attacker being a shifter."

Seth frowns. "What makes you think that? You found someone?"

Sam hesitates, glancing back at the house. "Maybe you ought to see for yourself." He leads us into the house, passing by a frowning Emily, and stops at the entrance to the basement.

Emily touches his arm lightly. "Sam, are you sure this is a good idea?"

Sam sighs, as if they'd had this conversation a hundred times. "It's his life, Em. I'm not going to keep things from him." She nods hesitantly, stepping away. Slowly, Sam opens the door to the basement. Looking down, I can't help but gasp.

Occupying the space are twenty three exact copies of Paul.

* * *

**Dun dun dunnn! I know, I know, cliffhangers are the worst, but I knew if I kept going it would get super long and then I wouldn't be able to put the next chapter as soon as I want to. Please please review! It makes me so happy to know what you think, even if you think I suck. You guys are the best, and if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be writing this story, so please share some love :)  
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**Until next time,  
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**TheSongSmith  
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	8. Chapter 8

**Another quick update for you, and also a bit of a long one. Yay! This is an incentive to make you review, so please do!**

* * *

"Where's the real Paul?" Carlisle asks as Seth buries his face in my shoulder, breathing hard.

Sam looks uneasy. "We, um…we can't tell…"

"So he's down there somewhere?"

The alpha nods. "Yeah, he's down there somewhere. We just have to pick the right one."

I hold Seth close, murmuring softly. "Seth, you're okay. Breathe. I've got you." But this time it doesn't seem to help, and Seth starts trembling violently.

"I'm sorry," he whispers before pushing away from me, phasing in midair and fleeing out the back door.

Sam looks after him sadly. "I can send one of the pack after him."

"No, give him a minute to himself. I'll go after him once you finish telling us what happened."

He nods reluctantly, closing the door before motioning us over to the couch. "I've had everyone on the lookout for anything strange. Quil and Embry were walking in the village this morning is saw _that_ running everywhere, so they got everyone down there to handle it. We know one of them is the real Paul, but so far we haven't been able to tell who. Whenever we ask, they all say they're the real Paul. And I'm afraid even when we do figure out how to tell the real from all the fakes, there will still be twenty two Pauls that could have been the one that hurt Seth. Even more unfortunately, only Seth will be able to tell us which is his attacker."

I find myself a little angry at this. "You can't honestly be thinking of asking him to do that! He's barely gotten himself back together. Making him face his attacker could break him beyond our repair."

Looking at his face, I see that he knows that already. "You're right. It's a horrible thing to ask him to do. But I just don't see there being any other way. He was the only one who saw it. He's the only one who will be able to identify the right one."

I sigh softly. "Fine. I'll talk to him about it. But if he says no, that's it. I'm not going to force him or guilt him into something he doesn't want to do."

Sam nods. "Of course. For once I agree with you." He glances sadly out the back door. "You'd better go after him, he'll be upset. Carlisle and I will figure out how to tell who the real Paul is."

I nod, running out the back door in the direction of his scent. It takes a while, but eventually I find him. Still in his wolf form, he sits in a clearing that looks freshly made, howling softly in a pained way that reminds me of crying. "Seth?" I murmur. He growls at me halfheartedly, turning away. I approach him slowly, in case he attacks. "Buddy, I know you're upset. It's okay. It was shocking for me too. It scared you. That's perfectly normal. But there's a lot of people worried about you."

Slowly, he looks up, making a sound of disapproval. I sit near his head, which he lays in my lap. "I know you hate when that happens, but it happens to all of us. We understand," I say gently, stroking his head. He huffs softly. "Alright, so not everyone has experienced panic attacks, but I have. I know how horrible they are." He glances up curiously. "A couple of years ago, Maria showed up and I freaked out. Carlisle had to drug me to get me to calm down. Which is really not easy if you're a vampire. He had to use all sorts of crazy stuff."

He snorts, and I smile. "Don't laugh, it wasn't that funny!" He chuckles softly. "Well," I say, you're better at handling that kind of thing than I am, so don't feel too bad."

He sighs softly, getting up and trotting behind a bush. A moment later he returns in human form, laying on the ground next to me. "Thanks for that. I'm sorry I ran, I just…had to get away, you know?"

I nod. "I know. Our instincts aren't all so different."

"I was surprised it was you who came after me. I thought Sam would be on my trail immediately."

I smile. "He wanted to be. But, ultimately, I convinced him that you needed a couple of minutes. He and Carlisle are trying to figure out what to do now."

He nods slowly. "They want me to help, don't they?"

"Sam thinks you're the only one who will know who the one that attacked you is. But you don't have to. He agreed if you didn't want to, we'd find some other way."

Surprisingly, Seth shakes his head. "I don't want to have to face him again. But Sam's right about me being the only way. I want whoever did this to pay for it. I need to know."

I pat his shoulder gently. "Alright then. You know you have all of us behind you to help you out."

"I know." He hesitates. "Do I have to go back now?"

"Well," I say carefully, "Why don't we go hang out in the yard for a while?"

He nods gratefully, standing up and looking around. "Um…where did we end up? I was just kind of running…"

I chuckle. "You almost made it to Canada. Come on, home's this way."

Back behind the house, Emily comes out to check on us. "Seth, honey, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine Em," he says. "Sorry about before, I was just surprised."

She nods sympathetically, hugging him. "I know honey, I'm sorry. We've really missed you, you know. I suddenly have all this extra food!"

He laughs softly. "I'm sure Quil wouldn't mind taking that off your hands."

"Well, we're always here for you if you need anything. I think the men are done talking. Would you like to go inside?"

He nods. "Yeah, okay." He follows her inside, and we sit on the couch opposite Sam and Carlisle. Surprisingly, Seth speaks first. "I'll help," he says quietly," But I can't always help what I'm going to do. Jasper's going to help me keep it together, but if I run out again, I'm sorry. I just have to."

Sam nods. "That's fine. You can have anyone there or not there you want. We want to make this as easy as possible for you."

Seth relaxes a little bit. "Okay. How are we going to find the real Paul?"

"Well, we were hoping you could help with that. If they truly are shifters, they won't have access to his memories. We need something that only Paul would know. Something they couldn't have observed about him. Any ideas?"

"You can't just see who can phase?" I ask.

"They can shift to look like his wolf. If they've been watching him as long as we think they have, it wouldn't be a challenge at all. It's gotta be a memory."

Seth thinks for a moment. "I know what only he'd know. I should ask."

Sam nods. "If you'd like. How should we do this?"

"One at a time," Carlisle says. "We have to have a way to distinguish them. Make a mark on each one or something so we can tell later."

Sam nods. "Okay, I'll get the pack to help wrangle them. Seth and Jasper, you two can go wait in the spare bedroom. Carlisle, you're on marking duty. I'll escort them to the room," he says.

As Seth and I walk upstairs, I watch him carefully. "Seth, are you sure you're okay with this? You don't have to do this."

He sighs softly. "Yes, I do. I have to if I want this over."

I nod, taking his hand. "Well then, I'm here for you."

He smiles a little. "I know."

It isn't long before there is a soft knock on the door and it opens to reveal a Paul with a red mark on his arm. Sam closes the door behind him, indicating that he'll wait outside. Seth sighs softly, his grip on the table tightening for a moment. "And you are?"

Paul number one smiles. "I'm Paul, remember? Come on Seth, you know me."

"I'm not so sure about that," he mumbles. "Anyway, we're going to ask you a few questions. Firstly, your last name."

"Lahote."

Seth doesn't so much as react. "Your imprints name?"

The Paul in front of eyes rolls his eyes. "Rachel. Jacob's sister. Are you happy now? I'm the real one."

Seth looks up from the desk suddenly. "What happened between us the day before I phased?"

This Paul swallows uncomfortably, and I know he's a fake. "We uh…we played video games, didn't we? You beat me."

Seth sighs softly. "Wrong. Next!" I want to ask him what did happen, but I decide to wait until one of them gets it right.

This goes on for eighteen Pauls, and though Seth looks exhausted, he refuses to stop. Though, when each Paul gets that question wrong, he seems disappointed. Each of them try to act like his friend, but I can tell from his expression that he knows it's not quite right. As Sam brings in number nineteen, one with a black marker on his cheek, Seth watches him carefully. He seems a bit more nervous than the others, and surprised to see us. "Seth! How are you feeling?" His eyes flick to me for a moment. "Jasper. Good to see you two."

Seth face softens a little, but he clears his throat and gets on with the questioning. "So, what happened between us the day before I phased?" he asks finally.

Paul smiles. "Some jerk tried to pick a fight with you at school, and I threw him into a wall. You were surprised because I'd never talked to you before. You asked me why I'd done it, and I told you it was because we'd be brothers soon." He laughs. "You tried to hit me because you thought I was after Leah."

Seth slowly looks up, hopeful. "And when I phased the next day? What was I thinking?"

"That you were going crazy. And you were naked." He chuckles softly. "Your mom was pissed we didn't get you out of the house before you phased. You broke her favorite vase."

Seth makes a small sound. Suddenly, he grabs Paul's hand, turning it over. On the palm lies a tiny scar. Turning his own hand over, Seth reveals a matching one. "It is you."

Paul smiles. "It's me, buddy. Thank God you noticed."

Seth laughs, hugging him across the table. "No offense, dude, but I think I've seen enough yous to last forever. I'm tired of looking at you."

Paul grins. "That's alright, I'm kind of tired of looking at me too."

"But why didn't you try to convince me it was you from the beginning?" Seth asks, frowning.

"Well, I kind of figured all the fakes would be trying to convince you they were real. I've never been one for convention. I knew you'd know I was the real one."

Sam opens the door slowly. "Everything okay in here?"

Paul frowns. "I'm still pissed at you. I can't believe you couldn't tell me apart! You've known me forever!"

"Sorry buddy," Sam says. "It was hard to tell with so many of you. Seth, have you figured out which one was your attacker?"

Seth shakes his head. "None of the ones I've seen so far. I'm sure of it. We have to look through the rest of them."

"Well, we'll have to make sure they don't know we know who the real Paul is. I'm sure they know, and if they think we've figured it out they'll imitate his mark or try to confuse us again."

"So what do we do?" I ask.

Sam thinks for a moment. "I think we're going to have to put Paul back with the others until we find the attacker so they don't get suspicious. And we'll need to give him a new mark, one that they won't be able to see, in case they find out." He looks around for a moment, then rips off a piece of yellow paper. "Paul, hang onto this. Don't let anyone see it. Put it somewhere hidden. I they don't see it, they can't imitate it."

Paul nods, tucking it into his shorts. "Alright. Whatever you need to catch this guy. I'll keep acting like nothing happened. Just please don't forget about me."

Seth smiles. "We won't, I promise. Once we have what we need, we'll spring you and figure out what to do with the others."

Paul hugs Seth one more time. "I trust you, kid. When you find that bastard, I want a shot at him too, okay?"

"Okay. See you soon." Sam escorts Paul back downstairs, and Seth is still smiling. "We found him. I can't believe we actually found him. Now we just have to find one more thing. I can do this."

I squeeze his hand gently. "I'm sure you can."

The door opens again, and another duplicate comes in. However, this one's demeanor is different. "Hi Seth." He saunters over to the chair, leaning his elbows on the table. "Miss me?" Seth stiffens immediately. He sniffs the air cautiously, and whatever he finds starts him trembling again. He glances at me and nods.

"Sam!" I yell, pulling Seth closer. "Shh buddy, it's alright. I won't let him hurt you again."

Sam bursts into the room, grabbing a hold of the disgruntled doppelganger. "Him?"

Seth nods, hiding his face against my shoulder. "Take him somewhere else please," he mumbles, his grip on me almost painful. Sam drags the offending copy out as Seth starts hyperventilating.

I raise his chin until he looks at me. "Seth, focus. You're safe. You need to calm down."

"I can't, it was him! He did it! I know it was him!" he cries frantically.

I take him by the shoulders. "Okay, I know it was him, but he's gone now, Sam has him. I'm right here, and you're safe. You need to breathe before you make yourself sick. I won't let him hurt you, and neither will Sam or Carlisle. You're okay. Just breathe."

Though he still trembles, he quiets a bit. "Please Jasper, don't let him get me," he whimpers, and I can tell that he's somewhere between his nightmares and reality.

"I won't Seth, I promise. I'm right here. I'll protect you. Just calm down."

His breathing slows a little bit, burrowed as far into my chest as possible. Slowly, his nightmares fade, and he takes a shaky breath, murmuring to himself. I continue to hold him tightly, knowing that he needs it to know he's okay. It takes a long time before he is calm enough to look up at me. "It was him," he whispers.

I nod. "I know, buddy. Don't worry, okay? He won't get to you again. You've been so brave. Now we have him. He can't hurt you, okay? You have too many people protecting you. You're just fine."

He nods sheepishly. "I know, I just panicked."

"That's alright," I assure him. "It happens. The important thing is that you're okay now, and you've done an amazing thing today. It was very brave of you, and now we have the one who hurt you in custody."

He smiles a little. "Thanks."

There is a soft knock on the door before Sam enters. "Seth, you okay?"

He nods. "I'm fine, thanks. Where is he?"

"Quil, Embry and Jake are holding him. We won't let him get away this time."

Seth nods slowly. "Sam? Where is Leah?"

"Well, she still doesn't know…about what happened…"

"Oh. Thanks. I think I'm gonna tell her."

Sam nods. "That's probably a good idea. We're going to questioning him and find out why he did that to you. I thought you should have the option to be present for it if you wanted to be. You absolutely don't have to be at all if you don't want."

Seth bites his lip. "If I go in there, he'll be all over me, harassing me. We won't get answers. But I still want to hear the explanation…"

"We could set up a camera in the room so that you can watch the feed from another room, or another house if you wanted," I offer. "That way he won't know and you'll get to know why."

"That sounds perfect," Seth agrees. "Can we do it Sam?"

Sam pats his shoulder. "We can do whatever it takes to make you comfortable, kid. You deserve it. Thank you for helping us."

Seth nods. "Thanks for finding him. When are we going to question him?"

"Well," Sam says, checking his watch, "I think we're all pretty tired. I can have the pack doing shifts watching him and the others in the basement, and it'll give us time to rig up the camera. Why don't you head back with Jasper for the night and we'll call you tomorrow when we're ready?"

He squeezes my hand. "I think that sounds like a good idea. Jasper?"

"I'm ready whenever you are."

Seth nods again. "Alright, but I want to take the real Paul with us."

"That's fine," Sam agrees.

He retrieves Paul from the basement, who comes up looking worried. "Seth, you okay dude?"

"I'm fine. I'm going back to the Cullen's for the night and I want you to come. Please."

He hesitates for a minute, but nods. "Alright, I guess. Better than being down there, and I'll get to hang out with you again."

Seth grins. "I never thought I'd hear you say that being in the Cullens' house is better than some alternative."

Paul smiles sheepishly. "Yeah, well, I guess they're not _always_ the bad guys…I'll wear a nose plug."

* * *

**Yay! But fear not, there are more surprises in store! And if more people don't start reviewing I'm not gonna post them. So do your part and review! Even if you say one word, just say something. I know you have opinions. Tell me them!**

**Love always,  
**

**TheSongSmith  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! Here's another one with some answers and some questions. Your reviews made me smile, so here it is :)**

* * *

Seth sleeps peacefully, curled up against me. Paul is still up, still watching me in case I decide to eat Seth or something. "You should sleep," I tell him. "Seth will need us tomorrow."He nods slowly, still watching me. I roll my eyes. "Seriously Paul, I'm not going to kill you in your sleep or something. I'd offer to all asleep first, but I can't, so…"

He continues to stare at me for a moment. "Why?" he asks finally.

"Why what?"

He sighs. "Seth. Why did you help him?"

I find myself surprised. "Wouldn't you have helped him?"

"Of course I would," he says, "But he's my brother. You're…"

"A leech?" I guess. He nods. "Well, believe it or not we're not just heartless killing machines. He's a good kid, and he needed my help."

Paul sighs again. "You're making it really hard to hate you."

"My apologies."

He snickers before catching himself and clearing his throat. "So why do you think they did this?"

"I have no idea, but we'll find out."

He nods, softening a bit. "And Seth…do you think he'll ever…be himself? Trust me again?"

I sigh. "Okay Paul, listen. He's never going to be exactly the same. He can't be, not after what happened. He is getting closer to his old self, and that's great, but I don't think things will ever completely go back to the way things were before. As for trusting you, that's up to you."

He frowns. "How?"

"You can prove to him that you can be trusted."

"And how might I do that?"

I look over at Seth, snoring lightly beside me. "The same way I did. You can be there for him when he needs you."

Paul watches him for a minute. "I can do that."

"Good. Can you live with him being attached to me?"

He hesitates. "Well, if it makes him happy, then yes, I'll deal. I'm finding it increasingly hard to dislike your family," he admits. "After what you, and Carlisle, and Esme have done for him…I kind of owe you."

"I don't know if you owe us anything," I say carefully. "But there is one thing you could do to repay us."

He looks up. "What is it?"

"Well, you could have a bit more of an open mind about us. Get to know us a bit." I shrug. "Make your own opinions, you know? We didn't choose this life, and so we do our best not to be monsters with what we have. It's not easy, but we try."

He nods slowly. "I guess I can try. For Seth's sake. I've seen the way he responds to you, and I think that if I don't want to lose a brother, I'll have to gain one."

I'm shocked by this. "Me?"

He nods. "Yeah. You. It's clear he won't be letting go of you any time soon. I think a lot of things will change because of this. Things like the treaty, and the pack's opinion of your family. If I don't change too, I'll risk losing him." He sighs. "I guess what I'm trying to say is…welcome to the pack."

"Um…thanks," I murmur.

"Well, I'm gonna go to sleep. Goodnight."

I nod. "Goodnight."

* * *

Seth opens his eyes slowly. "Morning…" he mumbles into the pillow.

"Good morning. How are you feeling?"

He thinks for a moment before grinning. "Really good." He pauses, looking around. "Where's Paul?"

I chuckle. "Downstairs eating whatever he can find."

"Damn it…" he mumbles. "Paul, leave some for me!" I follow him downstairs and into the kitchen, where Seth manages to fill a plate with an equal amount of food as is on Paul's plate.

"Morning Jazz," Paul says quietly.

Seth looks up, shocked. "Did you just…What?!"

I chuckle softly. "Oh, you were asleep for that part."

"We've decided…well, I've decided to give it a shot. For you," Paul adds.

Seth smiles. "Thank you, Paul. That means a lot to me."

They eat their breakfasts quietly. I check my watch. "Sam should be ready. Are you ready?"

He takes a deep breath before nodding to me. I follow Sam's instructions and pull up the video feed on my computer, turning it so that all three of us can watch. The Paul in question sits at a table, flanked by Jacob and Quil. Carlisle stands to the side, and Sam is pacing in front of the table. He glances up at the camera briefly before turning to the small group. "Who are you?"

The Paul at the table smirks. "I'm Paul. Don't you know me?"

Sam's jaw tightens for a moment. "No, you're not. We've found the real Paul. Now we're going to find out about the rest of you. Why are you here?"

"To do our job," he replies rather sharply.

Carlisle looks up. "And what job might that be?"

The copy rolls his eyes. "Now why would I tell you that?"

Sam growls under his breath. "Where did you come from? I wasn't aware there were other shifters."

"That's just like you. Thinking your tribe is the center of everything."

Sam holds back a growl. "So you know of our tribe, then."

"Of course I do. How could I not? It was your tribe who created ours."

Sam and Carlisle exchange a worried glance. "How so?"

The doppelganger chuckles. "Don't you know the story of your people? The three Spirit Warriors your pack all descends from? The original wolves? How naïve of you to think that they were the only ones with that power. But the chief they overthrew had a son who shared in your bloodline. He escaped. He mastered the secrets of your blood. And then he created us. We will finish his quest."

Jake and Quil share a look. Carlisle frowns. "Then why Seth? Why not Sam and Jacob? They're the Alphas."

"In your sense, that is so. But Seth has more power than any of us. We will take him down before he learns how to use it."

The real Paul turns to Seth, puzzled. "What does he mean?"

Seth shakes his head slowly. "I have no idea."

"Hate to break it to you," Sam grumbles, "But you won't. What is it about Seth? What makes him so important to you?"

The fake rolls his eyes. "You are as dumb as my people say. Don't you know his lineage?"

Sam thinks for a moment before the understanding dawns on him. I turn to Seth. "What's he talking about?"

Seth gasps quietly as Sam answers. "He's from the lines of all three original wolves."

"Ding ding ding! We have a genius here," the fake on the screen scoffs. "He's the only one who's blood is filled with the magic of all three. And when he discovers all he can do, he will be more powerful than any Alpha. He must be destroyed before."

Carlisle frowns. "So why didn't you just kill him? Why bother with everything else?"

The copy smiles. "Insurance. He was going to die, most probably, but on the off chance that he managed to heal in time, the mental aspect of it would have made him kill himself." He glares. "Until your boy decided to get in the way."

"That's it, then?" Paul asks quietly. "They want you dead because you're gonna have some great power or something?"

Seth frowns. "I don't have any great power. I don't understand."

"Well, according to this guy, you will," Paul says.

Seth looks at me, a little panicked. "What am I going to do? I don't know what to do!"

I put a hand on his shoulder gently. "Firstly, you're not going to panic. We can get through this. You'll be protected here, and we have a whole bunch of people who can help us. It'll be okay."

He nods slowly, sighing. "Of course my life couldn't get easier. That would be too simple." He thinks for a moment before looking up at me. "Jasper, are you in trouble?"

"Should I be?" I ask, puzzled.

"It's just that I haven't seen Alice lately. I hope she's not mad about me and you."

I laugh softly. "No, she's not mad. She's not thrilled that she can't see much, but she's not mad."

He frowns. "But where is she?"

Suddenly, my pixie drops into the kitchen. "I'm right here." She pecks my cheek lightly before sitting down. "Hi there."

"Hi Alice," Seth says.

She smiles brightly. "Don't worry, everything will be okay."

He frowns. "I thought you couldn't see me."

"I can't," she admits. "But how can it not be okay? You have the pack and us protecting you."

He grins. "Not sure Rosalie would care, but thanks."

Her face softens a bit. "You'd be surprised. But I know things will work out. We're on it."

"Thanks, Alice. That means a lot."

She smiles. "Oh, and I'm not mad at you."

He nods slowly. "Good. Because I never meant to cause any trouble."

"I know, kiddo. It's fine."

Seth snorts. "Kiddo?"

Alice grins. "Switching it up. You know. Can't have us old people getting dusty."

He laughs. "Wouldn't want that." He pauses for a moment, then groans. "I'm going to have to talk to Leah today, and deal with that subsequent freak out." He looks to Paul. "She might try to kill you."

He smiles. "I guess I can deal. If I was her I'd want to kill me too."

Alice looks pensive. "You should talk to Rosalie first."

"…So I won't be as surprised when I'm crushed?"

She sighs. "Just…talk to her."

Somewhere in the house, there is a deep sigh.

* * *

**Dun dun dunnnnnn! How will Rosalie help? What are Seth's cool powers? And what will be done about the new shifters? Review if ya wanna know!**

**Love always,  
**

**TheSongSmith  
**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey peeps! I'm super sorry this took so long; real life has been kicking my ass. A lot. But I love you all, so here's the introduction of Rosalie for those of you who were rooting for it. **

* * *

"Come on Seth, you can do this."

He groans again, hugging his pillow. "But I don't see why I have to do this! She doesn't want anything to do with me! She has no reason to care at all what happens to me."

I sit beside him. "That's a bit of a generalization, don't you think? Okay, I know she doesn't act like she cares, and she's not exactly warm and fuzzy, but people can surprise you. There's a lot about her you don't know."

He looks up reluctantly. "Like what?"

"I can't tell you that buddy; you're going to have to ask her yourself."

He sighs, and I watch his reluctance battle with his curiosity before the latter wins. "Alright fine, I'll go talk to her. But you're coming with me."

"Why am I coming with you?"

"Because you suck, and you cheated to make me interested in going. You deserve it."

I laugh. "Alright, fine, let's go." He sulks, but gets up and trudges down to Rosalie's room. He's about to knock when the door opens suddenly. He jumps, his hand still poised in the air. "Um…hi."

Rosalie sighs, stepping back from the door. "Are you going to come in or not?"

Seth swallows hard, glancing back at me before stepping into the room. "I, um…I just-"

"I know why you're here," she interrupts. "Even if you don't."

He sighs. "Well can you let me know? 'Cause no one else will."

She smiles briefly before taking a seat at the window. "We're not all that different, you know. I mean, I don't like you very much. But we're not so different."

Seth raises an eyebrow. "How are we not so different?"

"God, you really are as dull as they say you are, huh? Think about it. Why on earth could they possibly want you to talk to me now, of all times?"

Seth thinks for a minute before understanding dawns on him. "They want me to talk to you about, er…rape?"

Rose smirks. "And here I thought I'd have to start singing the "Jeopardy" song. Yes puppy, that's right."

"Are you going to tell me not to be ashamed or something? 'Cause I already got that talk from everyone."

She sighs. "No, I'm not here to tell you that. I'm here to tell you that I've been where you are."

He frowns, glancing at me before cautiously joining her by the window. "You have? But…how?"

"You think you're the only one bad things happen to? I didn't get this way by accident, Seth. Bad things happened to me too."

He hesitates. "Well, um… Will you tell me about it?"

Rose softens a little. "I guess I can do that. But only if you promise to learn from it, okay?"

"I promise."

She looks over at him, smiling a little. "Maybe you're not so bad after all. Anyway, mine happened when my then-fiancé got drunk with some of his buddies."

Seth winces a little. "And…they all…?"

"Yeah, they all. When they were done they left me in the street to die. Carlisle found me. That's how I got this way. And it took years before I told him the truth. I was afraid he'd regret his decision when I did. That he wouldn't want me as part of his family."

Seth nods slowly. "I guess I understand that. That's why I didn't want to tell anyone. Not the pack, or Jasper. I didn't want to lose them. And now I have to tell my sister. And my mom. And I really, really don't want to."

She nods sympathetically. "I felt the same way. It's always harder with the people you care about."

"So…how'd you get through it?"

Slowly, she reaches out to pat his shoulder. "They're always your family, Seth. They'll still love you. They'll be upset, but that's because they care about you. That won't change."

He smiles. "Thank you, Rose. I appreciate you telling me. And maybe we could try not strongly disliking each other for a change."

She laughs softly. "You really are like a puppy."

"I'm gonna take that as a compliment."

Rose smiles in earnest. "Well puppy, if you use my bathroom you're still dead. But I guess I can give liking you a shot."

He grins. "Thanks Rose. I'll remember that."

"Uh-huh. Now I'm sure you can find the door all by yourself. Go talk to your family."

Seth smiles, turning and walking back out in to the hall. "Well that went well," he remarks.

I can't help but laugh. "Told you." He shoves me lightly before his smile fades a little.

"I guess it's time, huh?"

I nod. "Yeah, it is. Just remember what Rose said. I know you can do this. This is definitely not the scariest thing you've done lately."

He smiles a little. "You don't know my mother."

"I can imagine. But I know you, and I know you can do it. And I'll be around to help out if you want."

Seth laughs. "And by 'help you' you really mean make sure they don't freak out too much?"

"Well…yeah. Pretty much."

"Good, because I'm gonna need it. A lot."

* * *

**Oh yay! So I was gonna put in the conversation with Seth and Leah and Sue, but then I realized it was getting super long, so you'll have to keep reading for that. But the good news is I'm already working on it, so it'll be done soon! Please please pleaseeeee review! It makes me so happy I can't even tell you. Like a sugar rush and a caffeine rush and a pony all at the same time!**

**Until next time,**

**TheSongSmith**


	11. Chapter 11

**Haha, another chapter! Woot! Some exciting stuff goes on, another little twist and some family times. Yay!**

* * *

"Seth, you're pacing. You'll mark the floor if you keep going much longer."

Seth shoots me a glare, continuing in his path across the living room floor. "Easy for you to say," he mutters.

I pick up on the faint sound of an engine approaching the house. "They're at the bottom of the driveway."

"Crap! Why did I think this was a good idea? I can't do this!"

I take him by the shoulders, sitting him down on the couch to stop his pacing. "Deep breaths Seth. You can do this. We both know you can. They're your family. They love you. Just relax and tell the truth. You'll be fine."

He nods, taking a breath. "You can't let me freak out in front of them. Please Jasper. Do what you have to do; but please don't let me have a panic attack with them."

I nod, squeezing his hand gently. "I won't, Seth. I promise. Just try to relax. You'll be fine. I know it." Though his foot still taps nervously against the floor, he grows a little less tense.

"Okay. I trust you."

I pat his shoulder. "Good, 'cause they're here. Remember to breathe. I can't stop you from passing out, so that's your job."

He nods and I move to the front hall, waiting for the knock before opening the door. Leah trudges silently past me. Sue follows behind, a little nervous, but also excited to see Seth. "I'm sorry about her Jasper. She seems to have forgotten her manners. I wanted to thank you again for everything you and your family have done for Seth. It means a lot to me."

I smile, accepting her hug. "It was no problem. We were happy to help."

She looks towards Seth, still shifting nervously on the couch. "Hey squirt," Leah says, nudging him gently, "What's your problem?"

Under his breath, I hear Seth murmur a quick "You have no idea," before he clears his throat. "Mom, Leah, I asked you to come over today because I want to tell you about…what really happened to me." He looks to me for a moment, then turns back to them. "Please sit down."

Worriedly, Sue and Leah take a seat on the couch across from Seth and I. "What's going on Seth?" Sue asks, her eyebrows furrowed.

He takes a shaky breath, reaching for my hand, a move which does not go unnoticed by Leah. Her composure slips for a moment, and I know she's holding back a growl, reminding herself that it's okay. I squeeze Seth's hand gently, nodding for him to continue. "Well, we uh, we found out that it wasn't just a coincidence that I was attacked. There is a group of people, other shifters, who wanted me dead."

This time Leah can't hold back the low growl, and she glares at me when I calm her. "I'm sorry, but Seth has asked me to make sure this goes smoothly. We all need to stay calm and let Seth finish."

Sue nods in agreement. "He's right Leah. Seth needs to talk. Go on, honey. What happened?"

Seth looks at Leah, who sulks a little bit, but manages to relax a little more. "Well, these shifters can take the form of just about anything they see. One of them took the form of Paul to get me to come close enough, and then…he attacked me. But it wasn't just assault. That's what I haven't told you yet."

Leah frowns now. "What else did he do?"

Seth goes red, seeming to shrink a little bit. I send calming waves out to him, and he smiles gratefully. "Well, um…they wanted to make sure that even if I managed to heal in time, I would finish their job myself. I need you both to please not freak out about this. I'll be okay, I promise. Just please don't get upset."

Sue reaches for Seth's other hand, grasping it gently. "Seth, whatever it is, you can tell us. We care about you."

He nods, squeezing my hand tighter and taking a deep breath. "They wanted to guarantee my life would be over, so they…they sort of, um…" he mumbles something unintelligible.

Sue frowns. "Seth, honey, what is it?"

He sighs. "They raped me mom," he whispers. "And if Jasper hadn't have found me, their plan would have worked."

A look of shock plays across each of their faces, and Seth's grip on my hand tightens. A low growl escapes Leah, but Sue shushes her. She takes a minute to process the information before looking up at him again. "So what can we do now?" Seth smiles, relieved, and pulls her into a hug. She kisses his cheek gently. "Seth, you know this doesn't make a difference to us. We love you no matter what. So tell me, what can we do to help you?"

"Well, I've been talking to some people about it, trying to work on my issues, and we have the bad guys. They're in Emily's basement. Sam's handling that, but I asked him to let me tell you guys first."

"And what does Carlisle say? Are you alright?"

He smiles. "Yeah mom, I'll be fine. But Sam thinks it's safer for me to stay here for a while until they sort out the mess with the other shifters. I'll be safe here."

Leah hugs him gently. "I'm sorry Seth. I should have realized it was bad."

"It's alright Leah, I didn't tell you. But I'm really not the one you need to apologize to."

She sighs before looking at me. "I'm sorry Jasper. I guess I have more to thank you for that I thought. So…Thanks." I nod, smiling at Seth, who grins back, relaxing into the couch.

Leah releases him, surprising us all by relaxing a little as well. "Well," Seth says, "There is one thing you might be about to help with. The shifter who attacked me said I was going to have some sort of special powers because I'm a descendant of all three original wolves, and that that's the reason they wanted me dead, but we have no idea how to go about finding what it is. Have you heard anything?"

Sue thinks for a moment. "I don't know," she says carefully, "But I think I know who might."

Seth looks at her, puzzled. "Who?"

"There's a man," she explains, "Who knows more about us then we know. I think he might know what we can do."

* * *

**Dun dun dunnn! The mystery man will make an appearance probably next chapter, but please review with any guesses or compliments or questions, etc. it makes me happy!**

**Love,**

**TheSongSmith**


	12. Chapter 12

**So I wrote an OC in this, just to make stuff interesting. Answers and questions abound!**

* * *

Seth, Sam, Jacob, Quil, Leah, Carlisle and I stand in front of what looks like an abandoned warehouse. "Are you _sure_ this is it?" Seth asks, looking at the building warily.

"This is the address he told us."

Seth sighs. "Are we sure this guy isn't gonna murder us in there or something?"

Sam smiles. "I know it seems weird, Seth, but he's a good guy. A weird guy, but a good guy too. Just go inside and listen."

Seth nods, pulling me with him towards the building. "He wants to see you too, so you're coming into the creepy horror movie warehouse with me."

"He what?" I asks, puzzled.

"It's true Jazz," Carlisle says. "He wants to see you both."

I'm about to ask what I have to do with anything, when Seth tugs me towards the building again. We enter the darkness, and Seth shuffles a little closer. "Okay, I'm officially freaked out."

I nod, putting an arm around him. "Yeah, me too…Why do I have to come again?"

"He said something about you being a part of whatever this is. I don't know. But he kind of knew about you, which is weird."

I sigh, looking around. "Well this is officially creepy. Some guy who lives in a warehouse and knows about everyone? And who, apparently, has a taste for the dark. Why did we decide to do this again?"

Seth chuckles. "Not scared, are you Jazz?"

I snort. "A vampire afraid of the dark? Not quite. I just think it's weird. Are we sure it's safe?"

He nods slowly. "The tribe has dealt with him before. He's never hurt a fly."

"Well then where the hell is he?" I mutter, looking around.

Suddenly, a voice sounds from behind us, making Seth jump. "An excellent question, my boy. I was wondering when one of you would ask." We turn, seeking out the shadowy figure. Suddenly all the lights go on, and Seth blinks quickly, blinded for a moment. In front of us sits an old man, not particularly unique from any other human, though something in his gaze is unnerving. "I was hoping you'd show up soon. I've been waiting for a long time for you."

Seth takes a deep breath. "Who are you?"

The man smiles, stepping a little closer. "I have a lot of names. I've been around for a long time. I'm the only man who can tell you what's happening to you. But you can call me Zachary." He offers a hand, which Seth regards carefully before shaking.

"So what do you know? I've heard you know just about everything about us."

Zachary smiles. "Why don't we all sit down? I'm sorry for the state of things around here; it's been a while since I've been here. I travel wherever I'm needed. I haven't been needed with your pack for a while now." Carefully, Seth and I take seats on an old couch.

"When was the last time you were here for the pack?" I ask curiously.

"Oh, let's see…probably about the time of the treaty. All these young men started phasing. It hadn't happened for a while, and they needed answers.

Seth nods slowly. "And…are you a wolf?"

"Not exactly," Zachary replies carefully. "I'm kind of an inbetweener. I've been around a long time, and I collect histories and answers with my time the way some people collect stamps. I hold the answers to a lot of things. And I help people out when I can. Like you. As I understand it, you have some questions about your future."

Seth frowns. "But you said you collect histories. How can you tell me about my future?"

Zachary rummages around, picking up a large book. "My dear boy, the future is just history that hasn't happened yet. And there's a lot of things forgotten from the past that can help you understand what's to come. That's my job."

Seth glances at me, puzzled for a moment. "Alright, fine. So what's happening to me?"

"I thought you'd never ask." The old man flips through his book until he comes to a page. So by now, you know you're different. And you know that whatever makes you different is pretty important."

Seth snorts. "If it wasn't people wouldn't be trying to kill me."

Zachary nods. "Fair point. I've been waiting for you to come to realize it for a long time now. You're the one who fulfills the prophecy."

Seth sighs. "There's a prophecy. Of course there is. Alright, fine. What's it say about me?"

The man points to a section of writing written in old characters. "You probably can't read that. It's an old version of your tribe's language. But let me tell you what it says." He clears his throat.

"_The One containing the magic of the three will unite his people and their false enemies in the bonds of brotherhood. Together they will stand to protect each other from the true evils that threaten to destroy them. The One will be saved by his so-called enemy, opening his heart and leading his people to do the same. Each will uphold the virtues of loyalty in the other's time of need. The bond they form is stronger than any evil, and through their brotherhood The One will discover his true power. Their separation will be no more. Together they will conquer their evils and forever bind their peoples as brothers and as friends."_

He looks up, glancing between us for a moment. "Come on boys, you have to understand this."

"So," I say carefully, "I'm a part of this thing too?"

He smiles. "It certainly seems that way, doesn't it?"

Seth frowns. "But what's my power or whatever? I don't understand."

"That I can't tell you, my boy. You have to discover it for yourself."

He groans. "And how might I do that?"

Zachary pauses thoughtfully, then picks up a large quilt. "Maybe this will help you." Unfurling it over the table between us, I see that it tells a story of two figures. Examining them closely, they do bear an unnerving resemblance to Seth and I.

Seth examines the figures too. "Jasper, they really do look like us. It's kind of freaking me out."

"Me too."

Zachary sits back in his chair. "This is a story quilt. I'm sure you've seen ones like it before, Seth. But this one dates back hundreds of years. It's your story. Your people used to tell it at a feast every year. They knew you'd come eventually. But then, you know, western ideas moved in. Things got lost. Things like the idea of the Great Uniter, who would lift his people from their fear. One of the many things I like about your people. They always looked ahead to better things."

Seth chuckles. "I had a feast? Really?"

The man rolls his eyes. "Not you specifically. There was no feast of Seth Clearwater. They had a celebration of your story, though. It was very popular. It was quite a shame what happened to many of your traditions over the years."

Looking over the blanket, Seth points to the first picture, where the darker figure lies on the ground, a white figure standing over him. "That's the day you found me."

"Right you are, Seth. You might be interested to know," Zachary says, "That the day Jasper found you in the woods would have been the anniversary of the feast."

I nudge Seth a little. "How come I look scary? And…really tall…"

He laughs. "Look, you look nicer in the next one."

"And a normal size." In the next picture, the dark figure lies on what must be a bed in a house, with the light figure beside him. There's another light figure in the background. "That must be Carlisle."

In another picture, a large group of red figures, with one dark figure in their midst who must be Paul, stands before the two white figures, Seth, and a larger dark figure who could be Sam.

"This is getting creepily accurate."

The old man laughs. "It was made by the person who made the prophecy."

Seth points to another picture. "This must be now." In it, the light and dark figures hold a book, with another muddled, almost blurry figure in the room. Seth looks back up at Zachary. "You're not clear. What are you?"

Zachary smiles awkwardly. "That's a rather long story…"

"We've got time," Seth counters, surprising himself a little bit. "Please. It's important."

He sighs. "I told you, I'm from a lot of places and I have a lot of names. But I only have one job. I'm the Timekeeper. I keep histories and records. I don't know where I came from originally, and I won't ever know. But I've always been this way and I always will."

"Are there any more people like you?"

Zachary chuckles. "Not to my knowledge. I couldn't tell you if what I am is a blessing or a curse. But I make do with what I have. But I'm not the important one. No one cares what I am. The important thing is what you are, Seth. You need to understand what you are and what you will become. If you don't, I'm afraid bad things will happen."

Seth looks at the last picture on the quilt. In it, the figure representing me lies on the ground under a red figure, looking rather more in trouble than I'm really comfortable with. Seth, in wolf form, hovers slightly above the ground, surrounded by a white light. He's clearly snarling at the red figure, and obviously angry. I flip the blanket over, but there's no more. "But…what happens to me?" I ask, a little uneasy. Seth tenses a little beside me.

"That fact was unclear at the time," Zachary explains. "It all depends on what happens here." He points to Seth, hovering in the air. "This is where you can find your power, or not."

"Is it clear now?"

Zachary looks at us both for a minute. "We will see. It's up to you."

"But how do we make sure things go well?"

The man shrugs. "You've already started. You're friends. If you stay true to each other, it will work out. Probably."

Seth sighs. "I wish someone could tell me what kind of power I'll have that's so important people want me dead."

"Yes, well, that is a drawback," Zachary agrees. "But you know what they say about great power."

"Yeah yeah, I've seen Spiderman thanks. But that doesn't help me very much."

Zachary sighs. "Well boys, the rest of the story is yours to make. Good luck."

* * *

**So, there you have it. A prophecy, a mystery, and some clueless friends. Some serious shiz will be going down soon, so make sure you stay tuned, and make sure you review to put me in a good writing mood!**

**Love always,**

**TheSongSmith**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey peeps! Sorry this took so long. I had written most of it, and then my computer died on me and I lost it, and now it's finals week. Yay me. But here it is, new and improved!**

* * *

Seth lounges on the couch, shirtless, as usual, flipping channels. Most people would think that he's just relaxing, but I know he's thinking. Rose walks in, stopping at the doorway. "Gross! Put a shirt on, will you?"

Seth laughs. "Nice to see you too, Rose."

"Yeah, yeah," she grumbles, sitting on his other side anyway.

Seth thinks for a moment before looking over at her. "Hey Rose? Can I ask you a question?" She shrugs, so he continues. "What did you do about your ex-fiancé and his friends?"

"I killed them. Why?" He winces a little, sighing. Rose glances over, noticing his expression. "What's the matter, puppy?"

He sighs heavily. "Sam wants me to decide what to do with the people who attacked me. I don't think I can tell him to kill them all. Then I'm no better than they are. But I can't just let them go. Then they'll do it all over again. I don't know what to do."

Rose nods thoughtfully. "Are they still all being Paul?"

"No, they've changed back to what we believe is their original forms."

"Have you talked to them?"

Seth pauses, thinking for a moment before looking up at her. "No, I haven't. Why?"

"Well, maybe not all of them deserve to die. Only one of them attacked you, right? Maybe if you talk to the others, you'll figure out what to do."

He grins. "That's a great idea! Thanks Rose!" He hugs her.

"Easy there puppy," she teases, rolling her eyes at him.

But he doesn't listen to her. Instead he turns to me excitedly. "Can you tell Sam I want to speak with them? Except the one who attacked me. I don't need to talk to him."

I nod, smiling at his happiness at finally having a direction. "Sure. I'll call him now."

Later in the afternoon, Seth and I cross into the tribe's lands. In light of the recent circumstances, the council decided to lift the boundary rule so long as we don't hunt on their land, so that we can both pass freely. Though this has less to do with them liking me and more to do with them wanting Seth back home, it's still nice not to worry. When we reach Sam and Emily's house, the door opens before we can knock. Emily hugs Seth, then me. "Long time, no see!" she says, grinning. "We've missed you. Come on in." We follow her into the house. "Can I get you anything?"

"No, that's alright Emily. Is Sam around?"

She smiles. "He's just giving assignments for tonight, he'll be here in a few minutes. Can I get you anything?"

Seth smiles. "Water would be great, thanks."

Emily goes to the kitchen and returns with a glass of water for Seth. "And Jasper? Anything for you?"

I look at Seth, puzzled. "Um, thank you Emily, but I can't eat or drink human food…"

She smiles. "I know. But you drink blood, right?"

Seth returns my puzzled look. "Do you…._have_ blood, Emily?"

"Of course I do." We both stare at her, and she smiles. "Well, we kind of figured since you'd be around more often, it's only polite."

I have so many questions that it takes me a minute to choose one. "It's not…human, is it?"

"Oh honey, of course not. We have a couple of hunting buddies who agreed to supply us. We kind of figured that you'd be visiting a lot, and since all the pack does here is eat, we figured you should be able to too."

"And…no one had a problem with that?"

Emily smiles. "Seth is our family, Jasper. You've done an amazing thing for all of us. It's the least we can do." She hugs me easily, as if we've been friends for years; as if her family and friends never once considered me an evil monster.

"Um…" I pause, not knowing what to say, "I really appreciate that Emily. No thank you on the drink though, I'm good right now."

She nods. "Well, you know it's there if you'd like it."

Just then, Sam walks in. He smiles at the sight of us. "Hi Seth, Jasper. How are you today?"

"We're good, Sam," Seth replies."

"Good. Then why don't we sit down and talk about what's on your mind?" He motions us to the couch, sitting down across from us.

Seth looks at me before beginning. "Well, I think it's time we figured out what to do with all of them. I want to talk to them before I make my decision."

Sam frowns a little. "Are you sure, Seth?"

"I'm sure, Sam. I can handle it. I just don't want to talk to the one who attacked me. I have a feeling he's the leader in this. But I can't condemn them all unless I know the truth. So I want to talk to them."

The Alpha nods uneasily. "Alright, if you think it's a good idea. The one who attacked you is at Quil's house anyway, so don't worry about that. The others have been quiet ever since. They haven't done anything at all."

Seth eyes the basement door, then glances back at me. "Ready?"

I nod, and he takes my hand, pulling me over to the door. Slowly, he reaches out to grasp the handle, opening the door. Twenty two sets of eyes stare silently up at us. It's a little creepy, but Seth moves down the stairs anyway. They all watch him silently as he descends to stand on the floor. He looks around at them for a moment, and I know he's worried. But he takes a deep breath anyway. "My name is Seth Clearwater. I was the target of your group's recent attack. And I'm the one who is going to decide your fates. I don't want to have you all killed if I don't have to. That's why I'm here. I'm going to talk to all of you, and make my decision then. If you refuse to talk to me, then I'm afraid there's nothing I can do to spare you. Does everyone understand?"

Slowly, they all nod.

"Good. Then let's get started." He surveys the room for a moment, his eyes landing on a young boy, maybe a few years younger than Seth, sitting in a back corner. He watches Seth approach with wide eyes, pressing as far back into the corner as he can. Slowly, Seth kneels down in front of him. "Hi." The boy doesn't respond. "My name's Seth. What's your name?"

Hesitantly, the child speaks. "K-Kunali," he stutters.

"Nice to meet you, Kunali. How old are you?"

"Ten," he whispers.

Seth smiles. "I don't want to hurt you, okay? I just want to talk. Will you talk with me please?" Though he hesitates, eventually the boy nods. "Good. Kunali, do you know the man who hurt me?" He nods again. "Can you tell me about him?"

"W-Well…He's our leader…but he's the only one who wanted to hurt you…I swear…"

Seth looks around for a moment. "Kunali, do you have a family?"

The boy looks down sadly. "Not anymore."

"Did he hurt them?" He nods slowly. Seth sighs. "I'm sorry about that. You don't have to be afraid, okay? I'm going to help." Slowly, he gets up, looking around at the others. "Did he do that to the rest of you too? Are you here because he hurt people you love?"

Heistantly, a woman steps up. "Why else would we be here?" she asks quietly. "He's crazy. But what could we do? We wanted to protect our families."

Seth looks at them. "So let me get this straight. You all don't want me dead. He forced you to be a part of it because he wants me dead."

Another man steps forward. "If he threatened your family, wouldn't you do it too?"

"So where are your families?"

"What's left of them? They're back home. Locked up as insurance." Seth glances at me, and I know what he wants to do.

Shyly, Kunali tugs on his sleeve. "Seth? A-Are you going to hurt us?"

Seth sighs, taking his small hand gently. "No. I'm not going to hurt you. I want to help you, but we're going to need some help too." He pauses for a moment. "Does anyone object to killing him?"

"We're with you," the woman remarks quietly. "We just want our families back."

Seth stands up, looking around at them all. "I have to talk to some people. I'll be back, I promise."

Taking my hand again, he goes back up the stairs to where Sam is waiting. "Well?" he asks as we close the door.

"We're only killing the one. They need our help, Sam."

Sam looks at him like he's crazy. "Seth, they were all in on his plan."

"They were forced to, Sam. He hurt their families. If someone told you that you had to kill me or they'd kill Emily, what would you do?"

Sam goes quiet. "Alright, fine. But what are we going to do with all of them?"

"First we're going to find their families. They've agreed to help us in return. They'll be so thankful if we do that. Then next time we need help, we'll have them to count on. We can work together." Seth says this more confidently than I've ever seen.

Surprisingly, Sam follows him. "Alright. Where do they live?"

"I don't know, but it's safe for you to go talk to them. They won't hurt you. See if one of them can tell you how to get there. Get some of the pack together; I'll go with them and see what we can do about their families."

"And what about the leader?"

Seth sighs. "We have to kill him. I just don't know what I want to do yet. Let's take care of them first, they deserve it."

Sam nods. "I'll talk to the pack and see what we can do. I'll keep you posted."

"Thank you. We'll be back at the house if you need us."

Confidently, Seth walks out of the house. I follow him. "Well that was…something."

He nods. "Yeah. For once, I actually feel like I know what I'm going to do."

"Well you just ordered and Alpha around like it was nothing, so I think you've got it under control."

He chuckles. "I guess so." He thinks for a moment. "If Kunali really is an orphan, I want him to stay."

This doesn't surprise me. "I figured you would. He seems like a good kid."

Seth nods. "He shouldn't be alone. He deserves a family."

"You know, I don't think I've ever seen you so sure of yourself."

He laughs. "Well, maybe weird old guy was onto something after all."

* * *

**Yay! Cool stuffs will be happening, I promise. It'll be great. Please review! It makes me so happy, and believe me, this week I could use the extra support.**

**Love always,**

**TheSongSmith**


	14. Chapter 14

**Woot! I should have written my history paper, but this is more fun. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Seth, are you sure we should do this?"

Standing in front of us is a small group of wolves, waiting to go on the rescue mission of the century. "Yes I'm sure," Seth says.

"But is the kid really the one we should be following?"

Kunali stands closer to Seth, watching the wolves with a mix of fear and awe. "I'm sure, Jasper. Trust me."

I sigh, but nod. "Okay, I trust you."

Seth leans down to Kunali. "Alright buddy, are you ready?" The boy nods, his eyes still fixed on the wolves. "Don't worry, I promise they won't hurt you." He moves into the trees for a moment to phase, returning and lying down so the boy can climb on. The other wolves stand a short distance away. Seth looks at me and nods.

"Alright kid, they're ready for you."

The boy nods and points southward. Seth starts in the direction he points, the rest of the group following. I walk to his side, keeping an eye out for anything. To someone else, we'd look ridiculous; a bunch of oversized wolves, a vampire, and a little boy.

We walk for hours, following Kunali's directions carefully. Suddenly, the boy asks us to stop. Seth looks back at him. "It's right through there," he explains, "But you could get hurt. Be careful, Seth."

Seth nods, walking slowly through the trees at the spot indicated. The forest opens into a clearing with a large, castle-like structure in the middle. "Is that it?" I ask. The boy nods.

"They're down in the bottom somewhere. It goes farther down than it looks."

Seth gives me a look, and it couldn't have been any clearer: _Of course there's a dungeon._ I can't help but laugh. When I manage to compose myself, I turn to the boy again. "Is there anything in there we should know about?"

He shrugs. "I don't think so. I don't think there are any more people who aren't locked up."

"If there are no people working there, how are your families getting food?"

The boy smiles a little. "He's crazy, Jasper, but he's smart. It's all machines. Wait until you see. I only saw it once, but it's brilliant."

Carefully, we make our way into the building, looking around for any signs of people. But all we find are a few mice and empty hallways. Finding a stairway down, our party descends carefully, looking around in the dark. Kunali goes quiet, lying down along Seth's back as if trying to avoid the darkness. Carefully, the boy reaches over to the wall, and suddenly the lights go on, revealing rows and rows of cells crowded with people. They gasp and shrink back at the sight of the wolves. Carefully, the boy's head appears over Seth's, and their eyes widen. "Nali?"

He smiles. "Hi. I brought some help."

Carefully, the wolves tear open the cells. Some of them go upstairs, leading the freed people to the fresh air, getting them in order. When the final people have made their way up to the light, Seth, Kunali and I follow. On the grass outside, the rest of the tribe stands, breathing in the first hints of fresh air in quite a while. Kunali looks around, searching for someone. I'm about to ask who when his eyes light up, and he jumps off of Seth's back. He runs over to a little girl, maybe about six or seven, and hugs her tightly. Seth nudges me forward, wondering who she is. I slowly walk over to them. "Hey Kunali, who's this?"

He grins widely. "My sister. Adrianna."

* * *

In an hour, all of the people have been divided up, split between all the wolves for the journey back, with Kunali and Adrianna riding on Seth's back together. Seth gives me that "I told you so" look, and I flick his ear, to which he chuckles. We make the journey back slower than before, what with all the extra people, but it's peaceful. And the boy looks happier than ever before, holding onto his sister.

By the time we get home, most of the people had fallen asleep on top of the wolves. Waking up, they go silent as the twenty one others from the basement come outside. Seth slides the kids off his back and goes to phase back before returning to stand with us. We watch families reunited, and Sam comes up behind us. "You did a great thing, Seth," he says.

Seth smiles. "I did the right thing, Sam. I had to."

He nods. "What are we doing about the other one?"

Seth hesitates. "I…I don't know. I'll figure something out."

"And the boy?"

"He and his sister are staying. They don't have anyone else."

Sam nods. "Alright. Where are we putting them?"

Seth looks at me, and I nod. "We'll take them with us for now. Esme and Carlisle will be happy to take care of them."

I look over to the two children to find the little girl looking at me, whispering something to her brother. He looks over and smiles. "Yeah, but he's a nice one."

Seth smiles, motioning them over. He crouches down in front of them. "We were wondering if maybe you two would like to stay."

Kunali's eyes light up. "With you?" Seth nods, and the boy smiles. "We'd love to."

* * *

A while later, once all the people have been squared away, Seth, the children and I make our way back home. Every now and then, I feel a light tug on my sleeve. "Mister Jasper?" Adrianna says for the thousandth time, "Do you eat people?"

Seth snorts, and I shove him lightly. "No Adrianna, we don't eat people."

"Do you live in a castle like Dracula?"

"No, we don't live in a castle."

"Do you have a cape?"

"No, I don't have a cape."

"What's your favorite color?"

"Blue."

"How come you're all sparkly?"

"Because I am."

"What's your favorite animal?"

"Um…Giraffes."

"Do you like puppies?"

I chuckle. "Yes, I like puppies. Do you like puppies?"

She nods enthusiastically. "Can we get a puppy?"

"We'll talk to Carlisle and Esme about that."

"They're you're mommy and daddy, right?"

"Yes."

"Are they nice?"

"They're very nice. How come you ask so many questions?"

She shrugs, skipping along beside me. It's quiet for only a moment before she tugs on my sleeve again. "Mister Jasper, when were you born?"

"I was born a long, long time ago."

"You're old."

"Thank you."

* * *

**Aww, happy funtimes. Except not for long! Dun dun dunnnnnn! Review please!**

**TheSongSmith**


	15. Chapter 15

**Holy Drama, Batman! **

* * *

Sitting on the couch, I watch Seth stand in wolf form in the living room. Kunali is studying him carefully, attempting to replicate him. He's getting closer, but every time he tries he's just a little bit off. He tries again, but the fur is too long, and he looks like a giant puffball. Seth chuckles, nudging him playfully. Adrianna comes in with her new puppy, who promptly jumps into my lap, yapping happily. The silly thing decided I'm his new best friend. The girl giggles, climbing up on the couch next to me. "Sparkles! Leave him alone!" She waves a dog treat at him and he jumps into her lap instead. Yes, we have a puppy named Sparkles. This is why we shouldn't let six year olds name things.

"Adrianna! 'Nali! Lunchtime!" Esme calls from the kitchen. The kids rush off as Seth phases back, joining me on the couch.

"That little yapper really has a thing for you."

I laugh. "It's stupid. It doesn't know I could eat it."

He raises an eyebrow at me. "You don't eat puppies, remember? You said so yourself the day you found me."

I think back, looking at him curiously. "I said that out loud?"

He laughs. "You did. It woulda been funny…you know, if I wasn't bleeding to death."

"Yeah, I suppose that did put a damper on things." I laugh. "Well, I'm going hunting."

He nods, getting up to follow me, as has become the usual. We walk quietly into the forest, hunting along the way. I know Seth wants to talk about something, so we continue walking after I've finished. Eventually he speaks up. "I don't know what to do about the bad guy."

"The guy who wants you dead?" He nods. "I thought you were gonna have him killed?"

Seth hesitates. "I don't know. I mean, I don't have much of a choice, right, because if I let him go he'll try to kill me again. But I don't know if I could really do it."

"You could have someone else do it," I offer.

"But that doesn't seem right either. If he's going to die, I think it should be me. But I'm afraid that I won't be able to go through with it."

I nod thoughtfully. "Well, we don't have to worry about it just yet. Things are good right now. Don't stress about it. We'll figure something out."

He smiles. "We always do, don't we?" I chuckle, then catch a whiff of something in the air that makes me freeze. Seth notices, growing concerned. "Jasper? What's the matter?"

I try to take a breath. "Seth, go back to the house."

"No. Tell me what's going on."

"Seth please. You need to go back to the house. Trust me. Go."

He hesitates, reluctant to leave me, but turns back. I watch him disappear, praying I'm wrong. I know that was too much to hope for when the voice behind me laughs. "Hello Major."

I swallow, turning to face her. "Maria."

"Why'd you send your friend away? We could have had fun."

I know exactly what kind of 'fun' she would have had, and I have to suppress a growl. "What are you doing here?"

"I can't pay a social call to one of my old favorites?"

"You never pay a social call. What do you want?"

She smiles, walking closer. "You smell like humans. Haven't been snacking, now have we? You know it'll ruin your appetite."

"What do you want?" I ask again, struggling to hold onto my calm.

"What do you think I want?"

I sigh. "Me."

She grins. "You know I always get what I want."

"Not this time. I don't want to go back with you. I'm done with that part of my life. You know that."

"Oh, Jasper," She remarks, circling me slowly, "Maybe you really have lost your touch. When have I ever cared what you wanted?" I'm so focused on her that I fail to notice the six others who've come with her, and I find myself suddenly restrained, unable to break free. "Yes, lost your touch you have. Don't worry. We'll train that out of you soon enough."

* * *

**SPOV**

As I walk back to the house, I hear Jasper's voice, and a woman's. Silently creeping back towards where I left him, I crouch behind a bush, watching the scene. It doesn't take long for me to realize who she is, but she has too many people with her. Jumping in there myself would be stupid, no matter how much I want to. When they drag him away, I have to use all my strength to stop from phasing. I'm no use to anyone dead. Instead I run back towards the house, calling Sam on my way. "Seth? What's wrong?"

"Everyone at the Cullens' house. Now, Sam." I hang up, running back in the house. Alice corners me.

"Were you just…?"

I nod. "Yes. We're getting him back, I promise. Everyone's on their way. Where are they taking him?"

She sighs. "I can't see, she's purposely not deciding. How are we going to find him?"

"The pack will come with me. We'll try to follow his-"

I'm cut off by a searing pain in my head. Lights flare behind my closed eyes, followed by a single image of a forest somewhere. When I open my eyes again, I'm on my knees, with Alice looking at me worriedly. "Seth? What happened?"

I rub my temples. "I have no idea…"

She frowns. "Alright. You get the pack together. I'll get the family." I nod, sitting down on the couch. I clutch my head as the image flashes through my mind again. When I look up, Carlisle stands over me.

"Seth? Are you alright?"

I nod, though I'm really not sure about that. "Yeah, I'm fine…I think."

"Well, everyone's here."

I slowly get off the couch, walking into the living room slowly. The entire pack, plus a few other Quileutes, the Cullen family, and some of the members of the other tribe are assembled there. I take a breath, wincing as the image pushes at the edges of my mind again. "Um…Jasper's been taken…by Maria. We need to find him before something bad happens to him." My vision swims a little, and suddenly I'm looking at myself. Then I'm looking at myself again, but from a different angle. I shake my head hard, trying to clear it. "I, um…I'll be back…In a minute…"

I manage to make it upstairs to my room before I collapse again, my head threatening to explode. Now the images flash faster, the living room, the others, the forest, Carlisle, Sam, the forest, Alice, Quil, Rose, Kunali, Paul, Adrianna, the forest, over and over again, for what seems like forever, and then suddenly it stops, and there are a hundred bright dots, and they move and shift in my head until something clicks into place. The dots are closer now, and I see them and myself. I open my eyes slowly to see all of them staring at me, their mouths open slightly. "Seth?"

I look around at them all, everyone I care about, matching them to their dots. It takes a minute before I realize they're waiting for me to say something. "I…I think I just figured it out…" I manage. Finally the dots are at peace in my head.

Alice gasps suddenly, looking at me with wide eyes. "I can see you…" she murmurs. "Why can I see you?"

I laugh, getting up from the floor to hug her tightly. "I know exactly how we're gonna find him."

She thinks for a moment, then grins. "You did it!"

I glance at the others, all staring at me blankly. I close my eyes again, finding Jasper among the dots, seeing the forest again. Of course. He's in the forest. I keep my eyes closed, finding Alice. "Alice, go to another room for a minute." I see the picture change from me to the bookcases in Carlisle's office. "Are you looking at the books?"

"Yeah…"

I grin, opening my eyes slowly. "That's it. My power. All of you are there. Everyone I care about."

"So,' Sam says slowly, "You're a…mind reader?"

Carlisle smiles. "I don't think it's mind reading exactly. It's more of a mental GPS, right Seth? You can find whoever you want to see?"

"Sort of…It's kind of hard to explain. But I'll try again later. Right now we've got a vampire to find."

* * *

**Yays. And oh noes! Whatever shall we do? Make sure you review and tune in to find out! *evil laugh***

**Until next time,**

**TheSongSmith**


	16. Chapter 16

**Back with another crazy installment! Drama and sad times galore **

**Also, a giant thank you and a big hug to Dixie.f.9 for being a faithful reviewer and making me smile! **

* * *

**SPOV**

Back when I first phased, I thought my life was the weirdest it would ever be. As usual, I was wrong. As if I needed any more weirdness in my life, now I have a prophecy, a power, some tiny little shadows, and a missing vampire best friend. Go figure. I check on Jasper again, but only see the same forest as I have been for the past hour. I can feel him though, like a little string pulling me in his direction. Leading the pack is weird. I look behind me, seeing Sam, Jake, Alice and Carlisle in the second command, and the rest of the pack and Emmett, Edward, and Rosalie behind them. Esme is home with Kunali and Adrianna, though I knew she desperately wanted to go as well. Right now they're in the living room, watching a movie while Adrianna attempts to teach Sparkles to sit. It's not going well, as he keeps jumping up to steal the treats form her hand. While I watch this, I can still keep an eye on Jasper. I'm hoping this means I'm getting better control of my abilities, because when they just force their way into my head it hurts. I wish I could talk to them and tell them that I'd look at them all if they'd just wait their turn. And then I realize I'm the crazy person talking to my own brain. Like I said, as if my life wasn't weird enough already. Looking behind me, seeing the two Alphas following instead of at the front where they should be makes me uncomfortable. I feel Jake snicker. "_Now you know how we feel."_

I huff at him before getting an idea. "_Can you guys see where Jasper is too?"_

"_I can't see anything,"_ Sam responds.

I close my eyes, making an effort to push the image to the front of my mind. "_Now?"_

"_I can see the picture now, but if you didn't tell me what it was, I wouldn't know it was connected to Jasper." _He pauses, thinking. _"Can you see where Maria is too?"_

The name is thought with a lot more contempt than I expected from the Alpha who doesn't even really like the Cullens, yes it's clear he's pissed off at Maria. I guess maybe things have changed. _"I can try," _I tell him, _"But so far it only works with people I care about."_

Edward moves up from behind the Alphas, speaking softly. "Seth, try thinking of her as connected to Jasper. It may be easier to see her then."

I take a deep breath, focusing on Jasper's light, then looking hard for lights around it. Alice's is closer than anything else. It's a struggle, but slowly a dimmer light emerges. Focusing on it, I see the same forest as Jasper is in, and a quick glimpse of him that I have to look away from quickly. _"It's harder, but I can see her if I try."_

"Good," he remarks. "It should get easier the more you look."

I look at him, wondering what Alice is seeing. He takes the hint and asks her. She smiles a little sadly. "She still won't decide on a place. I think you're going to be more helpful in finding him than I'll be. We are going to find him, though, wherever he ends up," she says, though she looks a little sad, which makes me wonder in what state we'll find him. I nudge her cheek gently, and she smiles. "I'll be okay. I just want to see him safe again." She leans up to kiss my nose. "I'm glad you're here." I smile, feeling a strong tug to the left and turning towards it, sure that Jasper is in that direction. Still, I watch the pictures in my head, looking for any change. There isn't one.

* * *

It's almost dark before the pictures finally change, and when they do, I don't find myself any more relieved. He's in a building, in a compound sort of campsite, and I have the distinct feeling that he couldn't get out if he tried. The pull gets stronger, more insistent, and I know we're getting closer. Suddenly, it pulls tight as a drum, and I stop, knowing that we're only a few feet away. Gathering everyone in a tight circle, I give them all the assignments. We're taking all of them out before we get to him. We vastly outnumber her smaller traveling group, though I knew if she had taken her entire army with her we'd be in trouble. Thankfully I only saw the same number of lights as before around Maria's. Having Jasper so close is making it hard to focus on anything else, my desire to see him warring with my desire to keep everyone else safe and kill the woman who did this to him. Taking a breath, I take stock of each of their locations, then direct the party to the proper places to take out their targets. Alice, Carlisle, Sam and I will take on Maria, who seems to be very close to Jasper. They may be coming with me, but I've made it clear that she's mine to deal with. I give the order, watching as the other six vampires are quickly and silently taken out. When no more arrive, our small group enters the compound, following the tug of the string to Jasper and Maria. Finally, I hear her. It's too muffled to hear individual words, but I know she's speaking to him. He's not answering back, and Alice and I share a worried glance before bursting through the doors. We somehow manage to surprise her, Sam and Carlisle pinning her down as Alice goes to Jasper, who I can't look at until she's gone, or I won't be able to finish this. The rest of the group, their targets already burning, comes to check out the commotion. Maria stares up at me, a little astonished. I snarl loudly as she struggles in their grip, and she freezes. When they've got her securely, I phase back. "I know you…you're the boy from this morning."

"I'm Jasper's friend."

"So am I…This is just a big misunderstanding!"

I growl. "Liar. I know exactly who you are. And I know exactly what you did to him. And there's one more thing I know that you don't."

"And that is…?"

I look over to Edward, Rosalie and Emmett, all seething. "That this is the very last time you'll be hurting anybody." I nod to the three of them, refusing to look away until the noise stops. As they take care of what's left of her, I become aware of another sound.

"Jasper? Jasper. Jazz, it's me. Can you hear me?"

I look to the corner, where Alice kneels in front of a still and silent Jasper. His face is completely blank, and he looks right through her. He doesn't even respond when she touches his face. The first adjective I can think of is shut down. Whatever happened, Jasper turned himself off in an attempt at self preservation. If it wasn't for the slight, continuous tremble in his body I would doubt that he was alive. What's worse, as I move closer, I realize he's having no emotional output at all. Usually, even when he's not really projecting, you can feel something. But now even that is as silent as the rest of him. Alice looks at me worriedly. "Jasper?" I murmur, nudging him lightly, "It's Seth. Can you hear me?" Nothing. Carlisle comes over, shining a small flashlight in his eyes. His pupils contract and expand properly, but if he was really all there, he'd jerk away like he always did when something got too close to his face. Nearly everyone tried, and nothing happened. He was just frozen. "Carlisle, is he…brain dead?" It hurt to force those words out, but I had to know.

"No, I don't think so. Brain dead people don't shake like that. I think he's there. I think being with her probably brought up some dark memories for him, and that this is a way to protect himself."

"So he'll come out of it, then?"

He looks at me sadly. "He should, but I can't even begin to tell you when."

I hug Alice. "So what do we do until then?"

He sighs, looking at Jasper's still form. "We show him that the danger is over. We take care of him until he can take care of himself."

On the ride back, Alice sits on my back, holding onto Jasper lest he fall and break his neck, even though I'm fairly sure that doesn't even happen to vampires. He was surprisingly compliant, which at first made me happy because I thought it was a sign that he knew who we were on some level, but that I soon realized was probably another self preservation technique. He still shakes incessantly. All I can think about is _Please God let him come back to us. Please come back._

Almost as if he's heard my silent pleading, Jasper's grip in my fur tightens a little. "Seth…" he mutters absently.

I freeze, looking back at Alice with wide eyes. "Jasper, can you hear us?" she murmurs.

There's no response or further muttering, but it gives me a little bit of hope that maybe he's fighting his way back to us after all.

* * *

**DUN DUN DUNNNN! I know, I know, I'm horrible. But I'm going to drag it out just a little bit further. Sorry! I still love you all. And if you'd like the next chapter sooner, make sure you review!**

***hiding from the angry mob***

**TheSongSmith**


	17. Chapter 17

**This is a short one, I know, but I wanted to break it off here so we can have some crazy fun next chapter!**

* * *

**SPOV**

Jasper sits in bed, in the exact same way he has all week. He hasn't spoken again and he still shakes. He'll eat if we feed him, and he puts up no resistance to any touch, nor does he fight the changing of his clothes, which is perhaps scarier than his silence. I know Jasper. If Jasper knew how many people touched him on a daily basis now, he would be pissed off. The fact that he's perfectly compliant makes me nervous, and I can tell it's unsettling the rest of the house too. The closest thing to a reaction we ever get is a small shifting when I walk into his room, but we can't tell if that's because he knows who I am, or just because of the smell. The longer he goes on this way, the more stressed little Alice gets, along with the rest of the house. Even the pack has taken to hanging around the house, just waiting like the rest of us. We take shifts sitting with him, talking to him about anything we can think of, trying to smother the small hope that he might answer back. The longer his blankness persists, the harder it is to hold onto the hope that he might bounce back. Even the dog is staying quieter these days, standing guard outside the room. Today I've been sitting with him for two hours, talking about nothing in particular, as he lies with his face turned into a pillow. Suddenly he blinks.

"Seth."

I jump, not expecting much of anything from him. "Jasper?" I say cautiously.

"Seth," he says again.

"What about Seth?" I ask, as the rest of the crowd, hearing a second voice, looks in.

"Puppy," he murmurs into the pillow.

I smile. "Seth is a puppy?"

"I can't eat him," he tells me.

I laugh. "That's right, you can't eat him."

"'Nali looks like a cotton ball," he remarks.

I look at Carlisle. "Is he…?"

Carlisle looks at him. "I don't think he knows we're here. But he's remembering us. It's a step closer."

"Stop licking me!" he mumbles. Sparkles barks. "I don't want sparkly nail polish…" Adrianna giggles. "Alice…"

Alice moves a little closer. "Yes?"

"Alice wants me to wear a Santa hat…. I don't want to…"

She laughs. "You would remember that."

He smiles a little. "I love her."

I smile. "I know you do."

"I don't want to wear a hat."

"Okay."

He is seemingly satisfied with this, going quiet again. Alice hugs me tightly. "He's gonna be okay," she murmurs.

And it appeared that way. Jasper's occasional talking sprees lift spirits in the house. Though he remains compliant and unfocused, unaware of us, he at least knows us, if not when we're around.

"We can't send out Christmas cards," he says one day. "You'll never fit Emmett into one of those sweaters." I laugh softly. "Rose'll be upset…antlers mess up her hair…why'd we buy a puppy when we already have Seth?"

At this I laugh. "Thanks, buddy."

* * *

Things remain much the same for the next week, which is why I'm startled when one day Jasper suddenly turns and looks at me for the first time in two weeks. This isn't the not-really-seeing-you kind of look that I'd grown used to. He was seeing me. "Seth," he says quietly.

"C-Carlisle?" I murmured, startled. Confusion crossed his face, as if he were trying to remember me. I swallow. "Jasper, can you hear me?" I ask as Carlisle comes in. There's no response. "What about Seth?"

Jasper frowns a little. "Seth's…in the shower." He goes fuzzy again, staring blankly at the wall.

"Carlisle, what the hell was that?"

He carefully checks Jasper over, but whatever had gotten into him was clearly gone. "If I had to guess, I'd say that his brain is testing the waters."

"So he's trying to come back?" I ask.

"It seems that way." I smile, happy at the prospect of having my friend back. I miss him. Carlisle smiles too. "He's strong, Seth. He'll find a way back sooner or later. Just give him time."

* * *

**We're almost there friends, but if you don't review you'll never know! Make sure you tune in next time!**

**Love always,**

**TheSongSmith**


	18. Chapter 18

**Merry Christmas! Your present is a superrr long chapter and happier times! It was 16 whole pages of awesome, so enjoy!**

* * *

****

SPOV

After a few days, we're all pretty used to his fits of speech and what has become known as his "coherent moments", as well as his constant tremors. I sit beside him, flipping channels. "Seth…" I hear for the second time today.

"Hmm?" I reply, not looking away from the TV.

"Seth…" he murmurs again, the voice soft and unsure. I feel a light touch on my shoulder and freeze. That's new. Slowly I look over to find him looking at me, a hint of worry in his eyes. He watches me cautiously.

"Jasper?"

He swallows. "Last time I checked."

"You're back…"

He smiles a little. "Yeah."

I hug him tightly. "Thank God…I missed you!"

"I missed you too," he whispers, holding onto me like he's afraid he'll slip away if he lets go.

"Let me go get everyone, they'll be so excited-" I start.

Jasper's eyes widen. "No!" he bites his lip, embarrassed.

"Hey, it's okay, I get it," I assure him. "You don't want to be mobbed." He nods slowly. "That's alright. Is it okay if I just get Alice and Carlisle?" He hesitates, but nods again. I try to get up, but his grip on me doesn't relax. "Jasper?" He looks up at me hesitantly. "Would you like me to stay with you?"

"Please," he whispers, as if he's afraid if he speaks any louder I'll say no.

I pull him close, rubbing his back gently. "Of course I'll stay. I'm just going to call for them, okay?" He nods, relieved, and buries his face against my neck. I call for them quietly, knowing they'll hear me either way, wondering why Alice hadn't seen it yet.

Carlisle appears in the doorway, noticing our new position. I nod, telling him that yes, Jasper is back. "Jasper?" he murmurs. There's no response.

I frown, gently nudging him away from my neck until I can see his face. I look down to find his eyes closed, his breathing steady and slow. "Um, Carlisle? Do vampires sleep?"

He comes over to check on him. "Not usually, but it can happen if the vampire is under a lot of stress, or if they've been injured. Jasper might sleep a lot for a while." I nod, looking expectantly at the doorway.

"Where's Alice?"

Carlisle glances out the window for a moment. "She's out with Bella for a while. She said something about him needing you more right now."

Uh-oh. "Did she seem mad?"

"No," he assures me, "She just needed a couple of hours. She's been in the house for weeks. And she knew he'd be safe with you."

"Oh. Okay. You can tell everyone he's alright, but they can't come in groups larger than two. He's pretty freaked out."

He nods. "I expected he would be."

"Carlisle?" I ask before I lose the nerve.

"Yes Seth?"

I watch him sleep for a moment. "Is this how he was at the beginning? Afraid like this?"

"When he first came to us, yes. If history is any indication, he won't turn his back to anyone, and he'll probably be quiet a lot of the time. But at least now he has you."

I frown. "What do you mean?"

He smiles. "You know how, when you play tag, there's a base? Somewhere you're safe?" I nod. "Well, he's clearly feeling safe enough to sleep with you around. I think you're going to be his base for a while. When he's scared or upset, he's going to need you there to come back to."

I nod, holding him a little closer. "I can do that."

"I know you will."

He exits, leaving me with the sleeping boy. I shift him back into his original position. "I'll protect you," I murmur. "I promise."

* * *

A few hours later, Jasper wakes up, tensing for a moment, then recognizing my scent and relaxing. He pulls back a little, embarrassed. "Sorry about that," he murmurs, though I know he really doesn't want to pull away.

"It's alright, I understand. Really, I do. I don't mind." He relaxes a little bit, clearly relieved, allowing his head to drift back to my shoulder.

"You're sure you don't mind?"

I smile. "Did you mind when it was me who needed you?"

"No."

"Then why would I mind? You were there for me through everything, even when I just needed a hug. Now it's my turn. I'm here for you, for as long as you need, for anything."

He snuggles closer. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"Sure," I smile, knowing this is his way of accepting my help. "Well, I discovered my power for one thing."

"Is it as cool as you'd hoped?"

I chuckle. "It helped me find you, didn't it? But it was a pain in the ass at first. I'm starting to see why you hate yours sometimes."

He laughs. "Told you."

"Yeah, and you were right. Anyway, I managed to use it enough to find you. Everyone came. It was weird. The pack, your family, all together and not trying to kill each other. Even Sam was really happy we found you, and you know how he usually is. The pack has been hanging around here a lot lately. They're worried about you."

"That's weird," he remarks quietly.

"I know."

He hesitates for a moment before looking up at me. "How long was I…uh…"

"Almost three weeks."

He looks down, guilty. "I'm sorry for worrying everyone."

"You don't have to be sorry." When he doesn't look up, I raise his chin. "Do you remember what you told me when it was me? You said I just needed some time to get myself together, right? Well so do you. It's okay."

Though he doesn't say anything, his spirits are lifted a little. He is quiet for a few minutes. "Seth?" he says after a while, "What happened to Ma…to her?"

I hug him a little tighter. "She's never going to hurt you again."

He nods. "Who did it?"

"Your siblings."

I feel his surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah. They were really upset."

He is quiet again. "Where is everyone?"

I close my eyes. "Carlisle is in his office. Esme's playing with the kids. Sam, Jake, Paul, Leah, and Quil are outside fooling around. Emmett and Rose are in the garage, Edward's in his room and Alice and Bella are on their way home. Bella's driving."

He looks at me curiously. "How do you know all that?"

"It's my gift."

"Huh." He thinks for a moment. "Can you get Carlisle please?"

I nod, calling for him. He appears quickly, smiling as he sees Jasper. "It's good to have you back, Jazz."

"It's good to be back. Could you, um, do me a favor?" he asks uncertainly.

"Of course. What do you need?"

He swallows, nervous. "My, um, neck…it hurts. She kind of, um…"

I look closely, noticing small pink marks littering the skin of his throat. Carlisle sees them too, nodding. "Sure. I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you." Jasper visibly tenses the closer he gets, flinching a little as he exposes his neck. His grip on me tightens as his breathing goes shallower.

I rub his back gently, murmuring soothingly as Carlisle leans down to inspect the wounds. "It's alright, you're safe now," I assure him, feeling his breath hitch as Carlisle lightly touches the skin around the marks. "It's just Carlisle, and I'm here. You're okay."

Carlisle frowns. "These should have healed weeks ago," he remarks, pulling back a little so Jasper can relax.

"They have somethin' in them," Jasper explains quietly. "I don't know what, but they make it hurt and not heal."

He nods. "That makes sense. Do you mind if I take a sample to see what it is?"

Jasper hesitates, biting his lip. "How does that, um…work?"

"I'm just gonna take a cotton swab and dab at one of the wounds. You'll barely feel it."

He takes a deep breath, then nods. "Okay," he agrees, but as Carlisle moves closer he starts to shake, his breathing tight. Even when Carlisle backs up, I can see that he's on the verge of panic.

"Jasper, look at me." When he meets my gaze, I can see the fear in his eyes. "Jazz, it's alright. Carlisle isn't going to hurt you. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you, okay? You need to breathe. Just focus on me and take deep breaths, and I promise it'll be over before you know it, okay?"

He swallows and nods, his breathing evening out a little. He holds my gaze as Carlisle quickly gathers his sample and pulls back. "I'm going to go find out what this is. I'll be back in a little bit."

As he leaves, Jasper relaxes against me. "Thanks for that," he murmurs. "It just kind of happened."

"I know," I assure him. "I've been there. It's okay." He nods, staying quiet until Carlisle returns.

"Alright, I think once we clean those up they should heal."

Jasper grows tense again, looking at me nervously. I have to think quickly to avoid another moment. "Um, Carlisle, maybe I could do it."

Carlisle looks to Jasper. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Is it okay with you if Seth does it?" He nods gratefully, and Carlisle hands over the stuff. Though he hisses softly as I clean the wounds, Jasper remains relaxed against me, and soon all of the small marks disappear.

"There we go, all done." He nods again.

Carlisle takes his stuff back. "Jasper, a lot of the others would like to come see you. Seth already told me you don't want them all at once, so we thought two at a time might be good. Is that okay with you?"

Jasper looks up at me. "Are you staying?" he asks quietly.

"Yes, I'm staying."

He turns back to Carlisle. "Okay."

Surprisingly, the first people who come up are Jake and Leah. I can tell Jasper is surprised too, and he presses closer to me. "Hi Jasper," Jake says. "I'm glad you're alright."

Jasper nods. "Me too."

Leah looks between the two of them for a moment, hesitant. "Would it be alright if I hugged you?" she asks finally. Jasper thinks for a moment, then nods. Carefully, she reaches out, hugging him gently. While Jasper is by no means relaxed, he's at least not panicking. "I'm really sorry," she murmurs, "For everything."

He takes a deep breath. "Thank you."

She pulls back, smiling. "If you need us, we'll be around." They exit, and Jasper leans back against me.

"Hey Seth?"

"Hmm?"

He smiles. "I think I just had a pleasant exchange with your sister."

I laugh. "Good for you. I still haven't." I hear his low chuckle in response, and I find the sound comforting, like maybe things can go back to normal soon. There's another knock at the door, and Sam and Paul enter. Sam looks uncharacteristically comfortable in the house. Maybe seeing Jasper in a weak moment blew a hole in his "evil demon spawn" theory. Either way, he does seem genuinely concerned, which I can tell surprises Jasper too. Paul looks a little more awkward, standing in the doorway, but less angry than usual. It's weird, to say the least, but kind of nice. Sam keeps a distance between them as well, but I think that has more to do with his uncertainty about Jasper's current state than anything else.

"Hi Jasper," he says finally. "It's nice to see you back to normal. How are you feeling?"

Jasper relaxes a little. "I'm okay. I'm glad you're here. Please extend my thanks to the pack for what they did."

Paul takes a few steps into the room. "You don't have to thank us. We would have done the same for any of our brothers."

Jasper frowns. "But…I'm a leech, remember?"

He chuckles. "We're not so sure anymore. We may have been a bit…hasty in our assessment. But it's pretty clear that you're one of us. Plus it was a chance to get the bad guys. How could we miss that?"

"I guess you couldn't," Jasper shrugs. "Still, thank you. I doubt I would be here without you guys."

Paul nods. "It was our pleasure." He grins. "But maybe you could give us a warning next time."

Jasper laughs. "I'll do my best."

"If you need anything, Seth knows where to find us."

They leave, and Jasper looks at me. "Are you sure it was only three weeks?"

I laugh. "Yes, I'm sure. We've succeeded in bringing them together, I think."

"It's still weird."

"I know."

Jasper goes quiet for a moment, listening. "Is Bella here?" he asks finally.

"Yeah, she is. She's coming up here, I think."

He frowns a little. "By herself?"

"I think so. Why?"

"She's usually never anywhere near me by herself."

I shrug. "Things change." He nods as there's a timid knock on the door. "Come in," I say. Slowly, Bella opens the door and takes a few steps inside.

"Hi Jasper," she says softly. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Thank you," he says, still frowning a little. "Does Edward know you're here?"

She smiles a little. "He told me to wait for him. But you know me, when do I ever do what I'm told?"

Jasper chuckles. "He'll be mad."

She shrugs. "Oh well. I'm not a child and he's not my father."

"But you are a little more breakable than the rest of us."

Bella laughs. "Figures, right? Werewolves, vampires, and the little human. We could write children's book. But I'm not afraid of you."

Jasper grins. "Darn. And I tried so hard."

"Well you didn't succeed. I don't care what anyone says Jasper, I like you, and if Edward doesn't like it I can tell him exactly where he can stick that."

They both laugh, and Jasper nods. "Well, I appreciate that. And despite what everyone else may think, I don't really hate you. I actually kind of like you most of the time."

"Wow, I was only hoping for tolerate, I never dreamed 'like' was on the table." She smiles, sitting down on the bed. "So, how are you doing?"

"I'll be okay," he says. "I just…need a little while to get myself together, right Seth?"

I smile. "Right."

"Well," Bella says, "I'm glad you're alright. We missed you. I have to go down there before Edward throws a hissy fit. I'll see you later."

As she exits, Alice comes through the door. She looks tired, more than anything, but she brightens when she sees him. He reaches out, and she hugs him tightly. They're both quiet for a long time. "I love you, Jazz," she whispers after a while.

"I love you too."

She smiles. "I knew you'd come back to me."

"How could I not? I promised."

Alice kisses his cheek gently. "And you're always a man of your word. I'm so glad you're back."

Jasper smiles, really smiles, for the first time. "Me too." He glances at the door for a moment. "Do you have to go?"

"Well, there's still some people who want to see you. But I can stay if you want."

He nods, so she climbs up on the bed, sitting to his other side. Though he still maintains his tight grip on me, he manages to relax between the two of us. There's another knock, and the door opens to reveal Rose, Emmett, and Edward. They enter slowly, and Jasper tenses, pressing against me. Alice rubs his back gently. Rose takes a few steps forward, approaching him as if he's a scared animal, which, I suppose, he is. "Hi Jazz. We're not going to hurt you. Can I come sit with you?" His eyes flick from her to Emmett to Edward, but slowly he nods. Carefully, she sits o the bed, just far enough away to stop him from panicking. "How are you feeling?"

He swallows. "I'm okay. How are you?"

She smiles. "I'm good. I missed you though. Life just wasn't the same without my twin."

Jasper smiles. "I missed you guys too. Thank you for what you did."

"We've wanted to do that for a long time," Edward speaks up. "We're just glad you're…"

He is distracted by Emmett, who's doing a sort of hopping from foot to foot like he has to pee really badly. Rose looks too, laughing. "Emmett wants permission to hug you."

Jasper looks at him, amused. "Yeah, okay…" Emmett grins, coming up and hugging him tightly. Jasper chuckles. "Um…Em…ow…"

"Oops! Sorry bro." He loosens his grip a little. "I was just really worried about you."

Jasper pats his arm lightly. "I'm okay Em. I will be, at least. Don't worry." They talk for a little while longer before Jasper begins yawning and leaning on Alice and I more.

"Buddy? I think it's time for a nap."

He looks at me, puzzled. "You're tired?"

I laugh. "I meant for you." This does nothing to alleviate his confusion, and I can see him wondering why on Earth he'd need to sleep. "Carlisle says it's normal, considering what you went through," I explain, watching understanding dawn on him. Edward, Rose, and Emmett say goodbye, and Alice goes with them, saying something about hunting. They close the door quietly behind them.

Jasper frowns, looking at me nervously. "Are…Will you, uh…I mean…" he mumbles.

"Would you like me to stay with you while you sleep?" I ask, trying to help him out. He nods slowly, tense. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere," I assure him.

He relaxes a little, looking down for a moment before swallowing uneasily. "Do you, um…mind if I…uh…"

"I don't mind," I say, though I'm not exactly sure what he means. He nods, slowly maneuvering himself until he sits pretty much in my lap, his head resting against my chest. He looks down, and I can feel his embarrassment. "Jasper, you have nothing to be ashamed of," I tell him quietly.

He sighs. "I've never been so needy in my life. Either one. I was a leader. I was feared, and respected. I haven't behaved like this since I was a child. But…I just feel safer with you."

I wrap my arms around him lightly, enough that he knows I'm there, but not so much that he feels trapped. Things with Jasper are a delicate balance a lot of the time. "There's nothing wrong with that, Jazz. That's what I'm here for."

"You're sure you don't mind me sleeping on you?" He asks, his eyes beginning to close.

"I'm sure. Goodnight buddy."

"Sweet dreams," he murmurs. It's only a moment before he relaxes against me, and his soft snores fill the room.

* * *

**Woo! Well friends, I hope Santa has brought you some lovely presents, and this is mine to all of you lovely people. If you'd like to send me a present back, send me a review! Anything at all makes me smile, and it's free! Yay!**

**Happy holidays!**

**TheSongSmith**


	19. Chapter 19

**Woo! We're back with another chapter. Yay for fluffs.**

* * *

**SPOV**

Jasper sleeps soundly for two hours. His breathing remains steady and slow, and the only movement is the rise and fall of his chest. Suddenly, he frowns, mumbling something. I run my fingers through his hair lightly, hoping to calm him, but it's pretty evident that it's not working. His breaths grow uneven and labored as his voice becomes more and more upset, though I still can't understand the words. "Jasper?" I say as I shake him gently, hoping to pull him from his dreams. He thrashes a little, taking on a pleading tone as he grows more panicked. I shake him harder, and finally he wakes with a gasp, his eyes wide with fear as he struggles to breathe. A whimper escapes him, and he clings to me tightly, dry sobbing so hard I think it must hurt. Seeing him this way makes me want to cry, but I know I need to stay in control if I'm going to help him. I take a deep breath, rubbing his back as I hold him securely to my chest. "Jasper, it's alright," I start, keeping my tone calm and gentle. "It was just a dream. Breathe, buddy."

"I-I can't!" he chokes out in between sobs that rack his body. "H-Help!" He pleads frantically.

I have to swallow the lump in my throat and remind myself that he needs me. "Okay, I'm going to help," I tell him. "Just listen to me. I know you're scared, Jasper, but you're okay. You're safe now. It was just a dream, and no one is going to hurt you. I'm here, and I won't let anyone hurt you. Just hang in there and try to calm down. It's okay."

"I c-can't s-s-stop," he whimpers into my shirt.

"You can do it," I assure him soothingly. "I'm right here with you, and we're going to do it together, okay?" He hesitates, but nods after a moment. "Okay," I continue gently, "Jasper, can you feel how I'm breathing?" Another short nod. "Good. I want you to breathe with me. Take deep breaths, slowly. There's no rush. Just focus on your breathing for a few minutes."

Though he struggles for a few minutes, eventually, Jasper's breathing falls into a rhythm with mine, albeit a shaky one. His sobs and dry heaves subside, and after half an hour his panic has reduced to small hiccups and a slight tremor, which has more to do with physical exhaustion than fear. He rests quietly against me for so long that I think he's fallen asleep, when he speaks. "I'm s-sorry Seth," he murmurs.

I hug him gently. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Jazz."

He sighs softly. "I told you I was worse at handling panic attacks."

"Hey, I wouldn't be so sure. You're not the one who fled to Canada." This gets a small smile out of him. "Jasper, can you tell me what happened?"

He stiffens a little. "What do you mean?"

"In your dream. What made you so scared?"

He's quiet for a long time. "What do you think?" he asks finally.

I think. "I'd guess it had to do with Maria, and what happened with her. Can you tell me about it?"

He hesitates, biting his lip. "I will, I promise. Just…not yet."

I nod. "That's fine. Take your time." He smiles gratefully. "You should try to get some more sleep," I tell him. "You look exhausted."

He nods begrudgingly, snuggling closer. "Hey Seth?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you." He slowly falls asleep against me.

There is a soft knock at the door, and I look up to see Emmett, who enters the room with uncharacteristic quiet. He looks at Jasper. "Is he okay?" he whispers.

I nod. "He's alright."

"Good. And you?"

I frown, confused. "What about me?"

He carefully sits down next to me. "How are you doing?"

"Oh. Um. Fine, I guess." He looks at me skeptically. I sigh. "I'm worried. Stressed out. Upset. But I have to be strong. He needs me. I'm his base, like Carlisle said."

"But who's your base?" He asks. For all of his tomfoolery, Emmett really could be perceptive sometimes.

"Jasper."

He nods. "Well, yeah. But seeing that he's got his own stuff going on right now, you should have a backup."

I sigh. "I don't have one of those."

"I figured," he says. "Well, I could always fill in for him for a while, if you wanted."

I look up at him. "Really? You'd do that?"

He shrugs. "Sure. I like you. And since you've kinda already moved in, You're kinda already family. So I don't mind."

"Thanks, Emmett." He grins, hugging me tightly, careful not to jostle Jasper. I sigh. "Can I ask you about something?"

He nods. "Sure buddy. What's up?"

"Well, you guys have to move around a lot, right?" He nods. "So, eventually, you'll have to move away from here, right?"

"Eventually, yeah. Why?"

I groan softly. "That's what I was afraid of."

Emmett thinks for a moment before the understanding dawns on him. "You're worried about us leaving here and not seeing him again."

I nod. "Yeah. I know it's not your fault and everything. I just…" I trail off, not sure of how to continue.

He squeezes my shoulder gently. "Wanna know a secret?" I nod curiously. "We've already kinda discussed it," he admits.

I look up, surprised. "You have?"

"Yeah. See, we know we'll have to move eventually. But we really don't want to take Jasper away from you. You've been good for him, we think."

"How?"

He grins again. "Well, he's certainly less doom and gloom since you've been around. And he had a lot of trouble with himself before, you know? He always thought he was a monster. But he saved you. You kinda showed him that maybe he's not so bad after all. And you made things easier for him. He doesn't struggle so much with the blood thing anymore. And we don't want that to stop. So we thought that we'd stick around as long as we could, and then either stay really close, or maybe just take you along."

I have to admit, that's a possibility I'd never considered. "Really?" I ask. "I could come?"

"Sure. I don't see why not. I mean, You're gonna live forever too, right?"

I nod. "Yeah, as long as I keep phasing."

"So why not live forever with someone who makes you happy?" He asks. If there's anything to be said for Emmett, it would be that he really knows how to cheer a person up. I pause, trying to gather the strength to tell him the other thing that's been on my mind. He notices. "Something wrong?"

I sigh. "Well, the other day, I got asked a…sort of odd question."

He raises an eyebrow. "Oh? And what was it?"

"Well, um, Collin asked if I, um…" I bite my lip.

Emmett laughs. "Let me guess. He wanted to know if you were imprinted on Jasper?"

I look up, startled. "How'd you know?"

He shrugs. "I just figured. So?"

"So…I'm not. At least, I don't think so. I don't feel like I am. I don't feel like Sam feels about Emily, or Paul feels about Rachel. But it is different than other friendships I've had. I just…I don't know what it is."

Emmett nods slowly, thoughtful. "I get what you mean. Have you tried talking to that weird warehouse guy about it?"

"I hadn't thought about it. Maybe I will." I smile. "Thanks Emmett. You're better at this than I thought."

He grins. "I'm like a piñata. Just full of surprises, you know?" He chuckles. "Anyway, good luck bro. Let me know if you need me." He closes the door behind him, and I smile. Who expected a good idea would come out of Emmett? I'm mulling his words over, when Jasper speaks, making me jump.

"He's right, you know."

Startled, I look down to find his eyes open. "Right about what?"

"What he said about you being good for me."

I chuckle. "You've been awake that long, huh?"

He smiles apologetically. "Can't help it." He pauses. "Do you really worry about whether or not you're imprinted on me?"

I feel myself go red. "You heard that too, huh?"

He nods. "I don't see why you're so worried."

"You mean you wouldn't be mad if I was?"

He shrugs. "Not really."

"Alice might be."

Jasper laughs. "Seth, are you romantically interested in me?"

"Gross. No."

"Are you trying to harm me in some way?"

"No."

He smiles. "Then Alice will be just fine with it, whatever it is." I nod slowly, and he watches me for a minute. "Would it make you feel better if we went back to that guy?"

I think about it. "I guess it would be nice to know for sure."

He nods. "Okay then. We can ask."

"Are you thirsty?" I ask him. He shrugs. "You should drink a little. You'll feel better. Does anything else hurt? I didn't see anything, but you'd know better than me."

He gives me a look. "What do you mean 'you didn't see anything'? What happened?"

"Well we couldn't just leave you in those clothes for two weeks. You were filthy."

"So, what you're saying is, people saw me naked."

I chuckle. "Well you didn't leave the house in pajamas."

He groans. "Who?"

"Me. Alice. Carlisle and Esme a couple of times." He groans again. "Well you're heavy. It was a two-person task."

Jasper sighs. "Great. Just great."

"Oh come on Jazz, it wasn't like we just left you that way. If you knew what you looked like before, you would have been glad. Think about it. If _someone_ had to see you naked, wouldn't us four be the best choices?"

"I guess so," he agrees sullenly. "I'm still not happy about it."

I chuckle. "Yeah, tell me about it."

* * *

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**


	20. Chapter 20

**What the devil is going on here? Prepare to find out!**

* * *

**SPOV**

In this clean, open space, Zachary looks strangely out of place, as if he belongs in the dark warehouse. He sits on the couch opposite of Jasper and I, glancing around as the rest of the house empties out. He looks almost like an owl, and Jasper shifts a little closer to me. When the last person exits, I clear my throat. "So…we had a question for you."

Zachary focuses. "Oh? Well I'm the answerman. What is it?"

Jasper glances at me, nodding once. "We, um…" I start, unsure of how to phrase it. I sigh. "Is Jasper my imprint?"

The man thinks for a moment before answering. "In a way, but not the way you think." He begins glancing around again, as if this is a sufficient answer.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He smiles. "Well, he is, and he isn't. Let me put it this way: He's not your mate, but you two were destined to find each other. Does that make more sense?"

Jasper nods slowly. "So, you're saying there's a difference between an imprint and a mate?"

"That's right. For most wolves, they find both in the same person. But for a special few, the two are separate. A mate is someone you have more of a romantic connection with. An imprint doesn't have to be that way. Your relationship is very similar to that of two imprints."

I frown. "How so?"

Zarchary smiles, quickly reaching out towards Jasper. Before I know what's happening, I find myself on my feet, standing between them, growling softly. The man pulls back. "That's how." Jasper lightly touches my arm, prompting me to sit down again. "You see," Zachary says, "Imprints are very protective of each other. They love each other, but in a different way than mates do. They share a special kind of connection. That's what you and Jasper have. You're not going to marry him. But you two are connected a little differently than other people."

Jasper looks over at me, giving me a small smile. "So," he asks, "Is there anything else we should know? Things that might happen?"

The man shrugs. "From what I know, pairs like yourselves tend to be happier the more time they share in close physical proximity, so you should keep that in mind if you have a bad day. Other than that, I think you can look forward to a enjoying forever together."

I smile. "I think that sounds like an excellent plan."

Jasper nods. "Me too. Thank you, Zachary."

Zachary nods. "You know how to find me if you have any more questions."

He exits as I mull things over. Jasper waits a few minutes before asking, "What's wrong?"

I sigh. "Just wondering how much crap I'm going to get from the pack about this."

He chuckles. "Tell them if anyone has a problem with it, I'll bite them. That'll shut them up."

I laugh. "Thanks, buddy. How do you think Alice is going to take it?"

"She'll be fine. It's not like I'm leaving her. She's actually pretty happy about it."

"Why?"

He smiles. "Before you, she had to deal with me all by herself. Now she has you to help. I tend to be a handful, in case you haven't noticed."

I chuckle. "Oh, I've noticed. Do you suppose we should tell them now, and get it over with?"

"I suppose that's probably best."

In half an hour, all of the Cullens, plus just about the entire pack, including Leah, Emily, and my mother are gathered in the living room. All the people around makes Jasper a little edgy, and he stays closer to me than normal. He hasn't freaked out yet, so I'd say things are going okay. I squeeze his hand gently, relieved when he relaxes a little bit. "Everyone," I start, "Jasper and I would like to discuss something with you. We talked with Zachary today about what we are in relation to each other." Well, that got their attention. Suddenly, all eyes are turned to us. I take a deep breath. "He explained to us that there's a difference for us between our mates and our imprints. Jasper and I are imprinted in a way, but Alice is Jasper's mate, and one day I'll have a separate mate too. It doesn't change anything. We just thought you all should know."

It is quiet for a long moment as everyone absorbs this information. "So," Leah asks finally, "What does that mean?"

Jasper glances at me. "It means neither of us is going anywhere for a while," he answers carefully. "Things will be the same as they have been lately. But now we know why. And we wanted to explain it to you, because it's very important to us that our family and friends accept us and understand why we are the way we are."

They all nod, murmuring quietly amongst themselves. "Well, I think we're all pretty used to you two by now," Emmett says.

"And we love you both. We want you to be happy," my mom adds. "If you're happy this way, then so are we."

Jasper smiles. "Thank you. We appreciate that."

* * *

A few days later, Sam asks me if I'd like to start running some patrols again. To be honest, I've missed it a little lately, but I'm really not sure what to do. I bring the subject up to Jasper that night, while we sit on the couch. "I think you should do it," he says easily, surprising me.

"You do? Why?"

He smiles. "I know what being cooped up does to me, and I'm sure it must be hell on you too. Besides, it'll be good for you to get out a little. You can't babysit me forever."

"But what about you?" I ask worriedly.

"Seth, I'll be fine. It's only a few hours. It'll all be okay."

I nod. "Okay. I'll go tonight."

Jasper was right, I did need to get out a little. It was good to return to something normal for once. We didn't find anything, of course, but I had a good time. When I get home, I go up to Jasper's room, only to find it empty. Frowning, I check the rest of the house, my unease quickly escalating into a full panic. _"Oh no,"_ I think, _"I knew this was a bad idea. I leave for a few hours and he disappears."_ When Emmett wanders by, I grab him. "I can't find him, where is he?" I ask quickly.

Noticing my panicked look, he gently puts a hand on my shoulder. "Relax, dude. He was feeling pretty good, so he decided to try going out for a hunt."

I feel my chest tighten as I think of all the things that could have happened to him. "That's how all this started! What if something happens to him?! What if one of Maria's cronies come after him?!"

Emmett sits me down on the couch. "Seth, calm down. Edward went with him, he's fine. Can't you use your power thing and see what he's up to?"

"It doesn't work when I'm panicking!" I snap, a little harsher than I meant to.

"Breathe, Seth. Jasper is fine. I guarantee it. Just calm down for a minute so you can see for yourself." I manage to take a few breaths, focusing on Jasper's light. I see the forest; a deer. He is hunting. He's alright. I relax a little, and Emmett is relieved. "See? I told you he was fine. He'll be home soon."

I nod sheepishly. "Thanks Em. Sorry for freaking out on you."

He pats my shoulder. "It's alright. I used to do the same thing at the beginning with Rose. Try to keep your cool, okay? He'll be home in a little while."

I nod, but still find myself gravitating towards the back door, searching the forest anxiously for signs of him. When he finally appears, Edward in tow, I sigh in relief. I spot two other vampires walking a short distance behind him. I catch a glimpse of their red eyes, and suddenly I find myself bolting out the door, phasing with a snarl that takes a minute to register as my own. Jasper's eyes widen as I regard the strangers with a low growl. He steps between me and them. "Seth, it's okay. This is Peter and Charlotte." The sound cuts off as I remember the names from some story Jasper told me once. "I told you about them, remember? They're friends." I do remember, and I whine apologetically, slipping out of my defensive crouch. Jasper pets my head gently. "It's okay, I forgot to tell you they were dropping by. My fault. Thank you, though."

The woman slowly steps closer, looking at me curiously. "So _this_ is the Seth you've been talking about?" Jasper nods. "Jesus," she murmurs, "You weren't kidding about him being a wolf. He's huge!" She bites her lip for a moment. "Can I touch him?"

Jasper chuckles. "Ask him yourself, Char, he's a person."

She smiles. "Right. Is it okay, Seth?" I look to Jasper, who nods encouragingly, before nodding to her. Peter looks highly uncomfortable with it, but Charlotte marches right up to me, smiling brighter as she pets me gently. "I like him." She glances back at Peter, rolling her eyes. "Oh relax Pete, he's not gonna hurt us. He was just protecting the Major, that's all. And you have to admit, it's pretty cool."

Remembering how quickly I ran out here, I also remember that I left my extra shorts behind. I whine softly at Jasper, who looks at me, puzzled. Edward explains. "Seth came out here so fast he forgot his change of clothes."

Jasper nods. "Well, thank you. Why don't you go change? We'll be right in." I nod, trotting back to the house and going straight to my room, throwing some shorts on before collapsing onto the bed. After a few minutes, Jasper knocks. "Seth?"

"What?"

The door opens slowly, and he steps inside, walking to the bed. "What are you doing in here? Come on out."

I shake my head. "So I can mortify myself again? No thanks."

I feel him sit down on the edge of the bed. "You didn't do anything wrong. You were just looking out for me. I appreciate it. And they understand."

I look up at him. "Did you tell them?"

"Not yet. I'd like you to be there when I do. And I'd like you to come hang out with us."

I sigh. "Jasper, I almost killed some of your closest friends."

"You didn't know Seth, and you can't stay in your pillow fort and cry forever, so get over it and come out there with me."

"Who says I can't?"

"Me. Now get up."

I huff, but get up, taking his hand as we walk back to the living room. Peter and Charlotte sit on one couch, Jasper pulling me to sit with him on the other. They both notice our interlocked hands, but neither say anything. "So," Charlotte asks finally, "What's going on with you two?"

I hesitate, but Jasper doesn't. "Seth is my imprint," he says easily, as if it's the most normal thing in the world.

"He's your…what?" Peter asks. "I thought you were with Alice."

"I am, Pete. Two separate things."

He's clearly a little surprised, but he shrugs. "As long as you're happy, I guess. It's nice to meet you, Seth."

I smile, relaxing a little. "Nice to meet you too. Sorry for reacting the way I did."

Charlotte smiles. "It's not your fault, we know you're just trying to keep him safe. Not an easy task. We've been hearing about some trouble."

Jasper nods. "A lot has happened lately. But we're all okay, and that's what matters." I learn a lot about them over the course of the night, and I find myself gradually relaxing against Jasper's side. Suddenly, a bright light hits my face, and I groan, hearing a chuckle from beside me. Opening my eyes, I find them blinded for a moment by the sun coming through the window. Jasper, Peter and Charlotte are still chatting, but it seems I fell asleep leaning on him. Jasper has his arm around me, smiling when he sees my eyes open. "Morning sleepyhead."

I rub my eyes. "Why didn't you wake me?"

He shrugs. "You looked tired."

Charlotte giggles. "Plus, it was kinda cute." I glare at her playfully, and she laughs. I think I'm going to get along with Peter and Charlotte just fine.

* * *

**Aww, happy funtimes. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, mostly because the fluffers get me every time. Let me know if you like them too! Or if you hate them. That's cool too. I just like getting those emails!**

**Much love and a fluffy new year,**

**TheSongSmith**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hey peeps! This is a short one, but I think it's good. Someone requested this, and I thought "Hey, why not just put it on in here?" So there you go. But they didn't leave their name, so I can't really tell you who it was.**

* * *

**SPOV**

"Happy Birthday dear Sparkles…Happy Birthday to you!" I swear, that dog is more spoiled than anyone I know. He's two years old today, and Adrianna insisted we have a party. Alice jumped on the bandwagon, because a party is a party, even if it's for a dog, and that's how I ended up wearing a party hat and eating a slice of dog-shaped cake. But Adrianna was grinning from ear to ear, so I guess it's not so ridiculous. I watch her open Sparkles' presents, and I'm pretty sure that dog has a bigger wardrobe than I do. There are quite a few toys and outfits piled up on the living room floor before Esme hands her a small box. "This is the last one," she says. Carefully, Adrianna opens the box, pulling out a shiny, silver, metallic dog collar. My chest tightens as I watch the object while is passed around the table and everyone admires it, but I can't help but shrink back. Jasper eyes me suspiciously. I manage to keep it together until it is offered to me, and then I bolt out the back door, wanting to be as far away from the object as possible. I'm vaguely aware of people calling after me, but I'm too distracted by the memories to pay attention. I can't breathe, feeling the sharp metal dig into my throat. "Please, no!" I hear myself whimper, but it doesn't work, and I feel everything, the pain and the fear, all over again. By the end, I find myself sobbing, curled up on the ground.

Suddenly, I am shaken, and I open my eyes to see Jasper's concerned face. "Seth? Can you hear me? Seth?"

I do my best to answer him, but I still can't breathe, and he starts swimming in and out of focus. Carlisle appears behind him. "Seth, you need to calm down. It's okay." I watch his mouth move before his words reach me, but I'm too far gone. After a few more choked sobs, everything goes black.

* * *

**JPOV**

When Seth bolts from the room, I know how upset he is. I grab Carlisle and chase after him. He can be fast when he wants to be, and by the time we find him he's on the ground, half sobbing and half struggling to breathe. I call his name loudly, but he's too preoccupied with what's inside his head to notice. I reach out towards him, but Carlisle grabs my hand. "Don't touch him yet. You could set him off even more."

"What's wrong with him Carlisle?"

He gently tugs me back a little, watching Seth struggle with his imaginary attacker. "He's having a flashback; a really bad one. If you startle him now, it might make him even more upset. Wait until the worst is over." I can't watch him, so instead I bury my head in Carlisle's shoulder and wait. After a while, his cries die down into sobs and weak whimpers. "Okay," Carlisle says, "You can try now. Be gentle." Slowly, I approach him, gently touching his shoulder. When he doesn't respond, I look back at the doctor. "Shake him a little. See if you can shake him out of it."

On the third attempt, Seth finally focuses on me. "Seth? Can you hear me?" I ask. He's still sobbing hard, clutching his chest, and he stares at me with wide eyes.

Carlisle comes closer, checking his pulse. Whatever he finds, he's not happy about it. "Seth, you need to calm down," he says. "It's okay." Seth's gaze shifts to him, but he's growing more unfocused, and in another minute his slumps in my arms. I look to Carlisle, panicking, but he gently lays a hand on my shoulder. "He's okay," he assures me. "He's just passed out. Probably for the better. Let's take him home and clean him up."

I nod, gently picking him up and carrying him back to the house. "Carlisle, what happened?" I ask him as he carefully checks him over.

"With some people who've experienced trauma like that, certain objects, sensations, even smells can make them relive whatever they experienced. I think the collar set him off, and he was reliving what happened to him."

I sigh, brushing Seth's hair back. "As if the first time wasn't bad enough. Well I'll tell you one thing. As soon as I'm sure he's okay, I'm taking that collar and melting it."

Carlisle nods thoughtfully for a moment. "I wouldn't be so hasty…" he says.

"You can't honestly let the dog wear it when it upsets him so much!"

"No, no, the dog won't wear it. But I think we can make use of it."

I frown, trying to figure out what his idea could be. "What are you thinking?"

He sits down next to Seth on the bed. "The way things are now, Seth is going to do this every time he sees a similar object. But we can use exposure therapy to desensitize him to it, so the next time he sees something like that, he won't freak out as badly."

"What does that mean, exactly?"

"Well, exposure therapy is used a lot with people who have phobias of something. Basically, it involves slowly exposing the person to what they fear, a little bit at a time, while they practice relaxation techniques. It helps them see that the object they feared really isn't that scary. I think it would work for Seth because it wasn't as bad for him when the collar was across the table as it was when it was right in front of him. So we could start with just being in the same room with the collar for a while, and then move on to things like putting it near a door and having him walk past it, up until he could pick it up without freaking out. I'm not saying he'll be totally comfortable with it, but I do think it could help him."

I nod, thinking it over. "Well, I can talk to him about it. We'll see what he thinks." Seth stirs a little, and Carlisle slips out of the room. I take his place beside Seth, watching him slowly come around, he tries to sit up, but groans, holding his head. I lay him back down gently. "Don't get up yet." I place an ice pack on his forehead, and he sighs in relief. Slowly, his eyes open, blinking a few times.

"Jasper?" He mumbles. "What happened?"

"You had a flashback and blacked out on us."

I watch him think hard, remembering what happened. "Oh," he says, flushing slightly, "I'm sorry about that."

I hug him gently. "Don't be sorry, it wasn't your fault. I was just worried about you. Are you okay?"

He shrugs. "I've got a massive headache at the moment, and I'm majorly embarrassed. But I'm okay."

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about. We understand what it made you think of. Sparkles will not be wearing it."

Seth flushes deeper. "It's alright…" he mumbles.

"No, it's not alright. You were upset by it. But Carlisle thinks he knows a way to help you get through that."

He raises an eyebrow. "Oh?" I explain Carlisle's idea, in as much detail as I know. He listens carefully, nodding every once in a while. "Would you do it with me?" he asks.

"If you wanted me to, of course I would."

He takes a breath. "Then okay. It's worth a shot."

I nod. "Okay, I'll let him know. He wants you to stay in bed for the rest of the night, and drink fluids."

Seth takes the cup I offer him, drinking from it thirstily. He settles down in his blankets, sighing heavily. "I feel so ridiculous for freaking out like that."

"Seth, you couldn't have helped it. You went through something horrible, and it's natural to freak out when you get reminded of it, especially when you go into full on flashbacks. The important thing is, you're alright."

He nods begrudgingly. "Jazz? You mind staying with me?"

"'Course I don't mind," I assure him, hugging him gently as he curls up against me. "You just rest for a while. Things won't be so bad in the morning."

It isn't long before he falls into a peaceful sleep against me. I stroke his hair gently. "I'll protect you," I murmur, though I'm sure he can't hear me. "Forever. I promise."

* * *

**:') the fluffers. There will be more plot coming you guys, but once the idea was in my head, I couldn't resist. You know me. So please leave me a review, because sometimes you all inspire me to do cool stuff!**

**Love always,**

**TheSongSmith**


	22. Chapter 22

**This is a short and sweet one for all you lovelies, because I know you love reading them almost as much as I love writing them.**

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**SPOV**

I wake up in Jasper's arms. I look up and see that he's fallen asleep on my shoulder. Smiling, I stroke his cheek lightly, thinking over the events of the night. I'm hoping Carlisle's right about this plan, because this really sucks. Jasper whines softly in his sleep, his brow furrowed. I shake him gently until he wakes with a gasp. When he sees me, he hugs me tightly, his breathing uneven. I rub his back gently. "You okay?"

After a moment, he nods. "Yeah, I'm okay," he murmurs. He takes a minute to calm himself, then pulls away, looking at me. "Remember when you said I could talk to you if I wanted?" he asks quietly. I nod, and he looks down. "I, um…I think I want to."

I nod, gently pulling him closer. "Take your time," I tell him, waiting patiently for him to start.

Jasper relaxes against me, cuddling into my shirt as he tries to find the right words. "Well," he starts hesitantly, "You already know the general gist of it…"

"Yeah, but some bad stuff must have happened for you to shut down for three weeks."

He nods. "Yeah, a lot of bad stuff did happen…" He takes a deep breath, collecting his thoughts. "You're going to get angry if I tell you…"

I hug him closer. "Jazz, I won't be mad at you, no matter what happened.. I might be mad at her, but I'll keep it under control."

"Promise?"

"I promise. I'll stay calm and just listen."

He nods again. "I used to not be like this," he says finally. "This whole thing never would have happened the way I was going."

"What do you mean by that?" I ask quietly.

He sighs. "I wasn't the same person. I never would have been able to lay like this with anyone, much less you. I would have killed you. I never would have been a part of a family, and I wouldn't be with Alice."

I nod. "Why?"

"I wasn't…raised that way. Not in this life, at least. Actually, not in my human life either, but especially not with Maria. I didn't trust anybody. I didn't like being near anybody, much less letting them touch me. I wasn't…a person. I was a monster. And maybe sometimes I still think that way. But now I know there's another way. So I try. But back then, I wouldn't have thought twice about killing you. You would have been nothing more than food. That's all I knew for a long, long time." I nod, waiting patiently. "Maria wasn't an easy person to please," he continues. "She was a master of breaking spirits and punishing people. There's no denying she was brilliant. But the things she did…"

He shudders a little, and I hug him closer. "Can you tell me what she did, Jazz?" I prompt gently.

He swallows. "She…she used to hurt us…a lot. But it was different with me…I was special…" I nod, rubbing his back gently. "I thought she loved me," he whispers.

I have a nagging feeling that that's not the worst of it. "Jasper," I ask carefully, "Did Maria ever do to you what was done to me?"

I hear a small sniffle. "I-I don't know…" he mumbles. I wait patiently for him to go on. "I…I loved her too…I didn't know, Seth. I didn't know what she was doing…I'm so s-sorry…"

Gently, I raise his chin until he looks at me. I may be upset with her, but he needs me more right now. "Jasper, you have nothing to be sorry for, do you understand? You didn't do anything wrong. There are just people in this world who take advantage of good people like you and me. It wasn't either of our faults, right?" Slowly, he nods, sniffling. "So you have no reason to be sorry. It's okay to be upset. Just let it out." He buries his head against my shoulder, crying quietly. I hold him securely, making sure he knows I'm here. After a while, he quiets. "Can you tell me about Peter and Charlotte?" I ask softly. "They were there too, right? In the army?"

Jasper nods. "Yeah…I was supposed to kill them. But I let them go. They were in love. I could feel it. I couldn't do that to them. So I let them escape. And a few years later, they came back for me."

I nod. "That's nice. So you stayed with them for a while?"

"Yes. We travelled together for a long time. But I still hated being a vampire. I hated killing people. Even people that deserved it. I was going crazy. So eventually, I broke away from them."

"And that's when you met Alice?"

He smiles a little. "Yeah. She told me all about Carlisle and his family. She knew I hated killing humans. She told me I didn't have to. That there was another way. I know it might not always seem like it, but I do like it here, with them."

"Do you ever miss travelling?"

He considers it for a minute. "Sometimes. There's certainly less rules. But I'd never been in so good a place with myself while I was a nomad. I owe that to them. They taught me a lot. And I found you here."

I hug him gently. "Thank you for telling me, Jazz. I know it wasn't easy. I want you to know that I don't think any differently of you."

He smiles. "I know. Thank you. How are you feeling?"

I chuckle. "I'm fine. It's my turn to take care of you now." He snuggles closer.

"I can live with that."

* * *

**Big hugs to anyone who reviews, because I could really use some cheering up right now.**

**Until next time,**

**TheSongSmith**


	23. Chapter 23

**Plot + fluffy funtimes! The best of both worlds!**

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"Seth?"

I look over at Jasper, who's sitting on the bed with an unreadable expression. "What?"

"You've been pacing for over an hour. Aren't you tired yet?"

I sigh, sitting down next to him. "I'm just nervous."

He nods, shifting closer. "You don't have to be nervous. Carlisle would never push you too far. I made him promise."

I look at him curiously. "You made him promise what?"

"That he wouldn't do anything to hurt you. He knows how important you are to me."

"I know he wouldn't. I'm just nervous about this whole thing in general. What if I freak out again?"

He hugs me lightly. "You won't. I'll be right there. But you don't have to do it if you don't want to."

He's giving me an out, but I know I can't take it, for both our sakes. "No, I have to do it. I can't live like this forever."

"Okay. Then I'll be here to help. It'll be okay."

I nod, allowing myself to be calmed by the light pressure of his power. "Jasper?" He looks up. "I don't mind you using your gift on me, but when we're actually in there, I think I need to do it myself."

"Okay," he says. "While we're in there I won't do it unless you ask." I nod again, resting quietly against his shoulder and praying to whoever could be listening that I'll be able to make it through this.

Jasper begins a soft and oddly soothing sort of humming so low that it takes me a minute to notice the sound, and another to find a melody in the string of notes. When I do, I focus on it until it blocks out the thoughts about my nerves. I am finally able to take a few breaths. When I'm able to keep myself under control, I look up at him. "Jazz? What's that song?"

He smiles a little distantly. "Somethin' I used to sing to Blossom when she got scared," he replies softly, a hint of his accent slipping through. "She'd have nightmares and come into my room in the middle of the night. She always tried not to wake me, but I always knew she was there. She couldn't fall back to sleep until I sang to her. She said it was the only thing that made her feel safe." He blinks, coming back to the present. "I thought it might help."

I smile. "It did. Thank you." I take another breath before pulling away. "Okay. Ready as I'll ever be." He stands, sticking close to me as we make the trip to Carlisle's office.

The doctor smiles. "Morning boys. Seth, how are you feeling?"

"Nervous," I admit, "But I want to do this. I need to. So what do you have for me Doc?"

He beckons us over to the couch, where we take a seat. "Well, first I'd like to teach you some techniques you can use when you're confronted with an object that brings back those memories. The most important thing to remember is that you are completely safe here with Jasper and I. Use that as a mantra of sorts. Say it out loud if you have to. We won't let anything happen to you. No matter what happens, you are safe. Follow me so far?" I nod, listening carefully as he runs through some other techniques. I'm just hoping I won't break Jasper's hand, because I know how desperately I'll need him. "Alright," Carlisle says finally, "Are you ready?"

I glance at Jasper before shrugging. "Not really. But I need to, so let's do it."

He nods, walking over to the desk across the room and picking up a small box, out of which he pulls the collar, setting it down on the wood. The sight of it makes me a little nauseous, and I can't help but hold onto Jasper's hand tighter. "Take your time," the doctor advises. "We have all day."

Please God don't let this take all day. "It can't hurt you, Seth," Jasper reminds me gently. "It's just an object."

"I know," I murmur back. "That's not the really scary part." He nods, squeezing my hand a little tighter. I take a breath before stepping a little closer. The nausea gets a little stronger as the memories push harder at the corners of my mind. When I feel the office start to slip away I know I have to do something. "Jasper," I say quickly, "Tell me where I am."

"You're in Carlisle's office with him and me. You're safe," he murmurs, putting an arm around me. By focusing on his words, I'm able to regain control, and the memories slip back down.

A small laugh escapes me, and Jasper looks at me like I'm crazy. "I didn't think that would actually work," I explain.

He smiles. "One step down." We continue this way for what seems like forever until we stand a few feet from the object. Though my heart is still pounding, I've managed to keep it together thus far. Jasper looks over to Carlisle, who nods, before turning back to me. "Seth?" he says softly, "You're doing great. This is going to be a little harder, but I know you can do it."

The understanding slowly dawns on me. "Y-You want me to touch it…" I murmur faintly.

His grip on me tightens a little. "Yes. It's not going to harm you. I'm right here." My heart leaps into my throat at the thought, and I have to press my face into Jasper's shoulder for a moment to steady myself. He takes the hint, hugging me closely. "I know you're scared, Seth," he murmurs, "But it's going to be alright. I won't let anything happen to you. You know that."

I nod, taking a breath before pulling away. I look back at the desk, where the shiny silver collar sits waiting for me. _"It can't hurt you," _I remind myself. _"It's just a stupid piece of junk. Nothing to be afraid of."_ The words apparently don't reach my heart, but I find myself slowly reaching out towards the object, watching the fingers shake slightly. I flinch as they come into contact with the cool metal, expecting the onslaught of memories. When they don't come, I carefully close my hand around it, bringing it closer. Jasper tenses, expecting me to freak out. "That was so stupid," I murmur.

He frowns. "What?"

"It's stupid. It's just a stupid little thing. I was so afraid of it, but it's not the same one. It can't hurt me. It's not dangerous. I know it's not. But I'm still afraid. Why?"

Carlisle speaks up. "Maybe it was never really the collar you were afraid of. Maybe you're afraid because of the memories it makes you think of. You're afraid to remember what happened to you."

I nod slowly. "You're right. But I don't want to be afraid anymore. If I'm still afraid, then he wins. That can't happen." I swallow, examining the object in my hand. "It's over. He can't hurt me anymore."

There's a screeching sound as the metal is crushed between my fingers. I feel Jasper's shock for a moment before he hugs me tightly. "You did it Seth!"

I drop the twisted metal back to the desk, returning his hug. "I couldn't have without you. Thank you. And thank you too, Carlisle."

Jasper pulls back a little bit. "Seth, are you alright? You're trembling."

Surprisingly, I find that he's right. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just adrenaline, I guess." He nods, holding me tightly against him. I laugh. "Really Jasper, I'm okay. Thank you for helping me."

"You don't have to thank me. I'm just glad you're alright."

I pull back a bit, looking at him closely. It seems he was more worried than he let on, and I can see how tired his stress has made him in his eyes and the way his typically rigid posture is slackening a bit. He's fading fast. "No offense Jazz, but you look like shit."

He chuckles. "Feel a bit like it too. I've been worrying about you since last night."

I smile. "Well, I think we've done enough for today. Come on, a nap will do you some good."

"But Alice and Bella are playing makeover in my room," he reminds me.

"Not a problem. Come on. Carlisle, thanks again for your help." I walk back to my room, knowing he'll follow.

"I'm really proud of you, Seth," he says as he flops down on the bed. "You're handling this a lot better than I would have. You're doing great."

"Well you know how stubborn I am." He snorts and nods. "I'm not going to let him win. So if this is how I have to do it, then fine. I am glad you came with me. You were a big help. I don't think I could have gotten through it without you."

He smiles sleepily. "That's what I'm here for," he murmurs into the pillow.

I chuckle softly. "Go to sleep Jasper."

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**Yay for sleepytime. Speaking of sleepytime, I should probably get some of that, because it's 2:30 in the morning here. Whoops! If you'd like to give me sweet dreams, send me a review! Then when I wake up I can have happyfuntimes. And supermegafoxyawesomehot times. So yay. Reviews!**

**Love and hugs,**

**TheSongSmith**


	24. Chapter 24

**Yay for new, looooooong chapters! And plot! Woohoo!**

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**JPOV**

It is seldom that I envy Edward's power; most of the time I'm grateful that I don't have it. But lately, Seth has been exhibiting some strange behaviors, and I'm starting to worry. Though it hasn't happened as often lately, he still has nightmares, which is nothing new. What's new is that, when he wakes up, he always seeks me out, looking over me closely for a few moments with a nervous air, like he's looking for something. Every time I ask him about it, he manages to brush it off with some generic response, but I can still feel his anxiety. As a last-ditch effort, I find myself knocking on Edward's door. It opens, and he beckons me inside without a word. Bella sits on the bed, surrounded by textbooks, and smiles as I enter. "I know why you're here," Edward says finally, sitting down in a chair.

"Well could you help me?" I ask. "I'm kind of desperate."

He smiles. "I figured as much, seeing as you're here asking for help. What is it you want to know?"

"I want to know what he dreams about that makes him act that way, and what he's doing when he looks at me like that. I know they're not the same dreams as before, about the attack. I can tell those by the way he wakes up. These are something new, and he won't tell me. I'm worried about him."

Edward nods, thinking for a moment. "He's checking you for injuries," he says finally.

I frown. "He's what?"

"You're right, these aren't the same dreams as before," he explains. "Seth has been thinking a lot about the final resolution. He knows the guy can't stay in Quil's basement forever, and he thinks setting him free would only endanger you both. He knows what has to happen, and he's going over every possible scenario in his head."

I think about this for a minute. "And what does that have to do with me being injured? He's never done that before."

"Well, the worst possibilities are the ones he's dreaming about. He dreams about you getting hurt, and even though he knows it's a dream, he still feels compelled to make sure. That's what the staring is all about."

"But why didn't he tell me that?" I ask.

Edward smiles. "We all have our reasons for keeping secrets. Seth has a few reasons. Part of him just doesn't want to worry you. Another part of him is afraid that if he talks about it out loud, it'll come true. And there's another part that thinks the second part is stupid for thinking that. He's just trying to figure it all out."

I nod. "So what should I do?"

He shrugs. "That's between you two. I can't really give you an answer for that one."

"If it was me," Bella pipes up from her stacks of books, "I'd try talking to him about it. It's clear that he's having a hard time figuring things out, and maybe you can find a way to stop him from worrying about you getting hurt."

I smile at her. "Thanks, Bella. I think I'll try that. And thank you for explaining, Edward."

He smiles. "I'm just glad you came to me. Let me know if you need anything."

I nod, thinking over what he said as I exit. I'm so lost in my thoughts that I almost knock Alice over. I catch her quickly, and she smiles. "Watch where you're going there soldier," she teases, kissing my cheek lightly.

I chuckle. "Yes ma'am. Sorry about that. Just thinking."

She nods. "I know. You're thinking about how on earth you're going to help Seth if he won't talk to you. You don't want him to know you talked to Edward, because you're worried he might get upset, but you can't do nothing and let him suffer more." When I look at her, puzzled, she grins. "You were about to say all that. I don't suppose you have to now."

I smile. "No, I suppose I don't. But we don't have to talk about Seth right now."

She rolls her eyes playfully. "Really Jasper, you don't have to act like he doesn't exist when you're around me. I'm fine, I promise. How could I be jealous when he's so good for you?"

"Everybody keeps saying that, that he's good for me. What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well," she says, "When's the last time you really let yourself go and loosened up a bit before he came? The last time you smiled like you really meant it? By my count, maybe once every couple of decades, when Peter and Charlotte came to visit. Maybe. But I don't have to be you to know how much happier you are now." She smiles. "I also know how much better you feel about yourself since he's been around." I look away, a little embarrassed, and she kisses my cheek. "It's nothing to be ashamed of Jazzy. It's a good thing that having Seth around makes you feel better. I'm really happy about it. I know you're not used to depending on people for things like that, but that's why we have friends. That's what we mean when we say he's been good for you. He's filled a spot in your life that the rest of us couldn't have, and he's made you happy. How could I be mad about that?"

I nod. "I guess you're right. I just figured you'd be hurt. I realize that it can seem like sometimes I need him more. But I always need you too. I don't understand how you can be so okay with this. I wouldn't want to share you with anyone."

She smiles. "If you knew it was the best thing for me, you'd feel the same way I feel now. Jasper, I always know you love me, even when we're not attached at the hip. I'll always be your mate, no matter who else you have in your life. I know you'll always love me, so I have nothing to fear when it comes to you and Seth. Don't worry about me so much. If I want your attention, I'll let you know. Believe me."

I chuckle. "I'm sure you will. I love you."

She leans up to kiss me softly. "I love you too. Now, what are you going to do about Seth?"

I sigh. "I have no idea. I don't know how to help him."

Alice nods, thinking for a moment. "I think Bella's idea is a good start. But you can't let him get away without talking to you. He's kind of freaking out on the inside, and one day that's going to boil over if he doesn't get some help."

"What's he freaking out about most?" I ask.

"Isn't it obvious? He's freaking out, because in several scenarios he's created in his head, he loses you. He's more terrified of that than I think you know. That's what's haunting him now, and he doesn't know what to do about it besides constantly check to see if you're alright. I think he could really benefit from having an open conversation with you, but I think if you want him to talk about what's bothering him, you're going to have to open up to him first."

I frown. "About what?"

She shrugs. "I don't know, it's just a feeling. He's getting better, but his basic instincts still tell him to protect himself, just like yours do. I think you're going to have to show him that it's safe before he'll talk to you."

"And you think telling him something personal would do that?"

"I think it might be a good start. You'd better hurry if you want to be there when he wakes up. Two minutes." She smiles. "Take care of him, okay? I like him. I'll see you later. I have some shopping to do." With that she walks off, and I slowly trek down the hall to Seth's room.

Silently, I open the door, sitting down on the edge of the bed. He's frowning, murmuring something as his hold on the blanket tightens. I wait patiently for the dream to take it usual course before he wakes up yelling. When he sees me, the sound cuts off, and he stares at me for a moment before beginning his routine check. Now that I know the purpose, the path of his gaze makes more sense. He's smart; always checking the most vulnerable spots first. Once he's sure that I'm still in one piece, he takes a breath. "Hi."

"Hi," I murmur back. "You alright?" He nods, swallowing. "Can we talk?" I feel his anxiety jump higher as his heart rate increases, but he nods again. I think over everyone's advice. "I wanted to tell you something about me," I say finally. Slowly, he relaxes. "Yesterday, when you and Emmett were wrestling in the yard, I almost bit him."

He raises an eyebrow at me. "Why?"

"Because even though I knew you weren't really in danger, I still felt like I needed to protect you. I knew he wasn't going to hurt you, but I still felt like you were in trouble, just like the first time you saw Peter and Charlotte. And sometimes I dream that something bad does happen, and I'm not there to protect you. I get really scared about it sometimes. Does that make sense?"

He hesitates, but slowly, he nods. "Yeah, I understand. It…happens with me too. Especially lately."

"Well…do you think you could tell me about it?" I ask gently.

Seth bites his lip for a moment. "I guess…" I wait patiently, happy to be getting somewhere. "Well, I've been thinking a lot about him, so most of the time he's there in the dreams."

"Your attacker?" He nods. "Is he the one who hurts me in your dreams?"

"Yeah, usually. And I can never protect you, no matter how hard I try." He hugs his knees, trying to keep his breathing steady.

I take his hand, gently probing his emotions. "I'm afraid of losing you too," I admit softly.

He looks up. "Really? So I'm not being completely crazy feeling this way?"

I smile. "I don't know if I could call you sane," I tease lightly, "But I feel that way too."

He smiles a little. "It's so weird. I mean, even if it's in a dream, or if I just think about it, it hurts; like an actual physical pain. I feel so many things all at once, and I can't sort them all out. I'm upset and angry and empty and lonely…I don't even know. I can't even begin to imagine how much worse I'd feel if it actually happened."

"Well, you'll never have to find out, because you're never going to lose me."

"You seem very sure of that."

I chuckle. "I am. Because I couldn't stand to lose you any more than you could stand to lose me. So I could never leave you like that."

He sighs softly. "Part of me knows that. It's just that the part that's afraid is louder."

I nod. "I understand. Believe me, I do. But I promise that you are not going to lose me, especially not to him. We're in this together, right?"

He smiles a little. "Right. Thanks."

"Feel better?"

"A little. I still have to figure out what to do about him, though."

I nod, putting an arm around him. "Any decision yet?"

"I know what has to be done," he admits. "If he stays alive, he's going to come after me again, or worse, come after you. I'm just having a hard time accepting that I can still be a good person even if I kill him."

"Do you think I'm a bad person?" I ask.

His frown deepens. "Of course not."

"Well, I've killed lots of people. Innocent people. Thousands and thousands of them. So why am I not a bad person?"

He sighs. "That may be true, but you're sorry about it. You had to."

"And don't you feel bad about it?" Hesitantly, he nods. "But you have to do it, right?"

He nods again, slowly looking up at me. "So you're saying that I wouldn't be a bad person for killing him?"

"Seth, you're only doing what you have to do. And it's clear you feel terrible about it already. You're a very good person who's been put in a difficult situation. You're trying to do what's best for everyone. How could you not be good?"

Seth takes a breath. "I guess you're right. Will you come with me? I think it's time we ended this."

"Sure buddy. When do you want to go?"

He shrugs. "I guess I'll talk to Sam today and see. Speaking of which, the whole pack is getting together at Emily's house today to hang out. Are you coming?"

I laugh. "You say that like it's the most natural thing to invite a vampire to 'hang out' with a pack of werewolves."

He grins. "It isn't? I never would have known." I laugh. "Well," he says, "The pack law clearly states that all imprints are protected and welcomed, but even without that they'd want you to come. They like you."

"I haven't the faintest idea why."

He chuckles. "Me either, but they made it very clear that I was to invite you along. So?"

I smile. "Yeah. Okay. I'm ready when you are."

Together, we travel through the woods to Emily's house. She smiles when she sees us. "Hi boys!" She hugs Seth tightly, then, surprisingly, hugs me too. "Nice to see you. Everything okay?"

Seth smiles. "Yeah, everything is good."

"Good," she smiles. "Well, Seth, I'm sure you can still find your way to the food without my help. You too Jasper. Have fun."

Seth looks over at me, chuckling at my expression. "What?"

"Am I the only one who feels weird about Emily keeping blood in her refrigerator like it's Coca-Cola?"

He laughs. "Apparently, yes. Though she did have to put it in a different bottle, because Leah kept almost pouring it on her cereal by accident."

I can't help but laugh at that. "Poor Leah. Do you think the pack would be grossed out if I actually drank it in front of them?"

He shrugs. "I don't think so. I mean, it's not like some huge surprise. They are aware you're a vampire. Why, are you thirsty?"

"Not particularly. But I guess it would be polite to accept the offer, don't you think?"

Seth grins. "Sure. Come on." We find the pack crowded around the kitchen table, as usual, devouring food as fast as Emily can make it. They greet us cheerily, beckoning us into chairs and setting a mug down in front of me. Though everyone notices, no one seems bothered as I drink from it, too busy eating to really care. Seth grins at me. "Told you." I nudge him lightly. After a while, he takes Sam aside, speaking to him quietly. When he returns to the table, I see a sort of grim determination in him. "Tonight," he says.

I nod. "Okay. Try to relax and have some fun until then." He smiles, nodding as he jumps back in with the group. After a while, when they're finally finished eating, the pack accompanies us to Quil's house. I feel Seth's surprise when we enter to see the whole family there. Esme, Carlisle, Nali and Adrianna sit with Quil's mom, chatting easily while Edward, Emmett, Alice, Rose and Quil laugh together on the couch as most of the pack goes to join them. Seth looks at me curiously, and I shrug, just as puzzled as he is.

"I called them," Sam says. "I figured you could use some moral support from all of us." Seth looks around at the whole group, all of the family, as they meld together.

"Thank you."

He slowly goes up to Carlisle and the rest of that group. Carlisle smiles. "How're you holding up?" he asks.

Seth takes a deep breath. "All things considered, pretty well. Thank you for coming."

Esme smiles, hugging him gently. "Of course we came, Seth. You're one of the family. We'll be here for you when you need us. All of us." Quil's mom nods in agreement. Seth eyes the door apprehensively. "Honey, why don't you go hang out with your friends for a little bit?"

Seth nods. "Yeah, I think I'm going to. Thank you." Slowly, he walks over to where the pack and my siblings sit, taking a seat next to Leah. Though she doesn't react like anything is wrong, she reaches over and takes his hand. Slowly, Seth relaxes as the group chatters and laughs. After a while, he takes a deep breath, and Leah squeezes his hand. He locks eyes with Rosalie, who nods, then Emmett, who smiles, and then Alice. I can feel him wondering something, and she thinks for a moment before nodding in response to his question. He slowly stands up. "It's time to finish this," he says quietly.

I nod. "Okay. Who do you want to come with you?"

He looks around the room for a moment. "You. Sam. Carlisle. Leah. And…Rose?" he finishes, unsure. The named people gather quietly by the basement door as I think over his choices. Me, Sam and Carlisle are obvious. Leah is family, and a wolf, so she'd understand better. But Rosalie? Why her? I make a note to ask him later. Seth takes a deep breath, squeezing my hand tightly. "Okay. I think I'm ready." Slowly, he opens the door, descending the stairs last. In the dim space, the man sits chained to a chair. He smirks as he sees Seth.

"So, you finally came to finish me off, huh? I was wondering what took you so long." Seth stiffens a little, his jaw tightening. The other man notices his hand, locked with mine, and laughs. "Got yourself a boyfriend, have you? Does he know how broken you are?"

Seth flinches a little, and I squeeze his hand gently, watching him take a breath. "He is NOT my boyfriend, and I am NOT broken. I'm not here to let you upset me. I'm here to finish this."

"Oh, is that so? My mistake, then. Well?" He waits, and Seth doesn't respond. "What are you waiting for?" Seth shares a nervous glance with me, and Leah rubs his back lightly. "Oh, I see. You don't feel right about killing me. Well, since you're debating this, why don't you untie me?" Sam growls softly, and the other man rolls his eyes. "What's the worst that could happen? I mean, I'm clearly outnumbered. You've got the Alpha over there blocking the door, and there's no other way out. I think I'd like to take one last stroll around the basement before I die. What do you say, Seth?" Seth thinks tensely for a moment before looking to Carlisle and nodding. As Carlisle cautiously unchains him, I have to fight the urge to step in front of Seth, as do Leah and Rosalie, who both start a low growling. Slowly, the figure stands, smiling. "Well that's much better. Thank you Seth."

Seth watches him closely for a minute. "Why did you have to kill me before I discovered my power?" he asks finally.

"Because if I tried to kill you after, I couldn't win."

He frowns, puzzled. "What does my mental GPS have to do with you killing me?"

The man snorts. "You thought _that _was your power? Kid, that was just a random chance. But just look upstairs. Everyone, both sides, all together. If I tried to kill you now, I would never get away with it, because now that you've brought them together, they'll all fight for you." Slowly, he walks closer to Seth and I. "Such a shame, though." He looks at me curiously. "So, you found him too, huh? I was hoping you wouldn't realize who he'd be. Is it true what they say?"

"Is what true?" Seth spits, his teeth clenched.

"The whole imprint thing. Would you really do anything to save him?" Seth nods. "Huh. And I bet it would really hurt if…" he grins. "If you couldn't. If he died right here and left you all alone." Seth's growling grows louder. "Poor, poor little Seth. Too weak to save the people he cares about." Seth snarls, phasing and crouching down low as he watches the other man. "Oh, so that's how you want to play it, huh? Well then, why don't we make this a fair fight?" he shifts into a wolf, grinning back at Seth, who growls, warning him to stay away.

The shifter chuckles, his grin growing as he suddenly lunges forward and sinks his teeth into my arm. Seth snarls loudly, yanking him away as Leah phases behind him. The two of them rip him to shreds as Carlisle sits me down against the wall, examining the bite marks. They look bad, and feel even worse, but I wave him away. As soon as Seth is finished, he phases back, rushing over to me. "Jasper!" Rosalie starts to reach for me, but Seth growls softly at her.

Leah pulls her back a little bit. "You really don't want to get between a wolf and his imprint," she explains, but Seth is too worried to notice, looking at my arm.

"Seth, I'm fine. Relax."

He frowns. "You are not fine, he bit you!"

I put my good arm around him. "It's not that bad, really. Carlisle will fix them when we go upstairs. I'm fine, Seth. It's okay. It's over."

He calms a little bit, looking up at Rosalie sheepishly. "Sorry."

She smiles, hugging him gently. "It's alright. I would've done the same thing if it was Emmett. Are you okay?"

Seth takes a deep breath. "Yeah, I think I am." He looks back at the shredded remains of his nightmares. "Let's go upstairs." He pulls me up, hugging me gently. "Come on, let's get that taken care of." Everyone upstairs breathes a sigh of relief when we all come back relatively unscathed. He sits me down at the table between he and Alice, and watches intently as Carlisle fixes my arm. When it's been cleaned and healed to his satisfaction, he finally relaxes, though that doesn't stop either of them from fussing over me. "Is it bad?" he asks, looking at the white bandage now covering the healing wounds.

"Nah, I barely even feel it now. Are you alright?"

He nods. "Yeah, I will be. I'm just glad that's over."

"Me too. Hey Seth?"

He looks up. "Hmm?"

"Why'd you pick Rosalie to go with you?"

He smiles sheepishly. "Remember what she told me when I asked her what she did about the men who hurt her?" I nod. "Well, I figured she would understand better than anyone why I had to do it."

Rosalie sits down beside him. "I do understand," she says. "I'm glad you asked me to come, puppy. Thanks."

He smiles. "It's so weird; I feel like now that this is done, I have nothing else to do. This is the first time in forever that I'm not worrying about something, and I don't know what to do with myself now."

I smile, hugging him gently. "How about some relaxing and living a normal life?"

He chuckles, yawning as he leans his head against my shoulder. "Jasper, I'm a werewolf and you're a vampire. Normal isn't even in the dictionary for us."

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**Aww! I think I'm probably still gonna write some more fluffs, because I love them. Yay. Please review, especially if there's a scene you want to see, because I love ideas!**

**Hugs and butterfly kisses,**

**TheSongSmith**


	25. Chapter 25

** Yay for fluffs!**

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****

SPOV

Esme smiles as I come downstairs for breakfast. "Morning Seth. How are you feeling?"

I hug her gently. "Better than I have in a long time. How are you?"

"I'm good. Breakfast will be ready in a minute. You can go take a seat."

I nod, sitting down at the dining room table, yawning. Nali and Adrianna thump down the stairs, rubbing their eyes. "Good morning," I greet them as they sit down. I hear another set of footsteps on the stairs and look up to see Jasper, but I quickly notice that something is wrong as he sits down beside me. He slouches over the table, looking exhausted. "Jasper?" I murmur. He looks up at me, and his eyes are dark, even though I know he went hunting yesterday. "Are you okay?"

He nods, looking at me like I'm crazy. "I'm fine. Why?"

I frown. "You don't look so good. You're really pale." He rolls his eyes. "Paler than normal, I mean. Are you sure you're feeling alright?" He shrugs, and I gently place my hand against his forehead. He feels different to me, but I'm not a good judge, so instead I ask Bella to check. Jasper doesn't even seem to notice as she feels his forehead.

"You're right, he does seem a little warmer than usual." Jasper sighs, resting his head on his arms.

I hear a lighter set of footsteps as Alice comes downstairs. She nods at me. "You're right. I don't know how, but he's sick."

"But he's a vampire. Vampires don't get sick. Do they?"

She shrugs. "I didn't think so, but it certainly seems that way. He'll be okay. Take him to Carlisle after breakfast." I nod, watching him close his eyes as I eat. When I'm almost done, Alice mutters a quick "Oh no…" I look up at her, and she stands as Jasper suddenly sits up, running from the table.

We both take off after him, and when we reach him he's retching up what seems to be his entire hunt from yesterday into the toilet. I kneel beside him, unsure of what to do. When there's nothing else left to come up, Jasper dry heaves miserably. I rub his back gently and watch as Alice presses cool, damp clothes to the back of his neck and his forehead. His gagging subsides, and he looks up at us. "Maybe we should go see Carlisle now," he murmurs weakly. I nod, hooking my arm around him and gently helping him up.

Alice grabs a bucket- Just in case, she says- and we slowly make our way upstairs. I set Jasper down on his bed as Alice goes to get Carlisle. He leans against me, his lips still stained red with blood. As Alice returns with Carlisle, she sits on his other side. Carlisle frowns. "Not feeling well, huh Jazz?" Jasper shakes his head, willingly accepting the thermometer he offers. Carlisle watches the numbers rise, frowning. I'm not sure what constitutes as a fever in vampires, but I'm fairly certain Jasper is well past that number. Carlisle removes it, checking the numbers again in disbelief.

"Is it that bad?" Jasper asks.

Carlisle hesitates. "Well, you're almost in the normal range for humans. Fever generally indicates an infection of some sort."

"But Carlisle, how is that possible?"

The doctor shrugs. "Maybe there's some strain of bacteria that's mutated to survive in venom. I'll have to take a sample and find out. But I think it must have gotten in through the bite marks in your arm. Can I take a look?" Jasper offers his bandaged arm, and Carlisle carefully undoes the dressing. The wounds look angry and red, and clearly haven't healed as they should. "Yeah, I'd definitely say infection. I'm going to take a sample and see if we can figure out what it is." He gently swipes a cotton swab through some of the clear, thin fluid that seems to be coming from the wounds. "I'm going to go look at this. Try to relax for a bit." He leaves, and Jasper sighs again.

"You should lay down," I say.

"I don't want to," he replies petulantly.

Alice rubs his back gently. "What's wrong Jazz?"

He huffs. "I hate being sick. It would be me who comes down with some bizarre vampire illness. Just perfect."

I chuckle. "It's not the worst thing in the world to let people take care of you for a few days."

"It isn't?"

"No. So try to relax, and Carlisle will figure it out." Begrudgingly, Jasper lies down, pulling the blankets up to his nose. "Cold?" I ask. He nods. I lie next to him, and he curls up against me, relaxing with the warmth. "Do you want a drink?" The very thought of it starts him gagging again. "Okay, you don't have to." He groans, pressing his face into the pillow. "What?" I ask.

"I hate this."

I hug him gently. "Don't worry. It'll be over soon." He nods, sighing softly. After a while, I hear soft snores coming from him. He wakes up a few minutes later, kicking the blankets off of him as Carlisle comes back. "So?" I ask. "What did you find?"

"Well, it's definitely an infection. But I do have an antibiotic that should clear it up."

Jasper looks up from his blanket heap. "So I have to swallow it?"

"No," Carlisle says, "Actually this one is given intravenously."

Jasper growls softly, pressing further back against me. "Take it easy Jasper," I murmur to him. "It's not that bad. And it'll make you feel better." He looks up at me, and I see the slightest hint of fear there. "Jazz, it's nothing to be afraid of," I assure him gently. "You know I wouldn't let anyone hurt you. This is going to make you feel better, so I really think you should do it." He hesitates, but nods slowly, holding out his arm. He rests his forehead against my shoulder as Carlisle gently inserts the IV, taping it in place. "It's done," I tell him as Carlisle finishes.

"Just try to get some rest," the doctor advises. "I'll check every now and then to make sure it's working, but I think you have the two best caretakers here. Feel better." With that, he leaves Jasper in our care. There's not much I can do for him until the medicine starts working, but sitting in silence is getting uncomfortable.

"Hey Jasper?" I murmur.

"Hmm?"

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," he answers quickly before frowning. "No, wait. No I'm not. I feel like shit. That first one was just a reflex."

I can't help but chuckle. "Alright. Well, we can try to keep your mind off of it until the medicine starts working."

"And how are you planning to do that?"

"Well," I say, "I figured we could talk for a while. Is there any particular subject you'd like to talk about?"

He looks up at me for a moment. "I'm not going to die, you know."

I smile. "I know. Don't worry about me."

He nods. "Well," he says after a while, "Why don't you tell me a story. I'm always telling you about where I come from, but I don't know a whole lot about you before all this, or about being a wolf."

I nod. "Okay then. Why don't you just get comfortable and I'll tell you whatever you want to know." I wait for him to settle back against the pillows. "Okay, what would you like to know first?"

He thinks for a moment. "Will you tell me about your life before you phased?"

"Sure. I guess it was…pretty human. I went to school, I was on the track team…It was pretty boring."

He nods, thinking. "What about your friends? Quil and Embry and all them."

I shrug. "I didn't really know any of them before."

"So who were your friends?"

"Well," I reply awkwardly, "Not a whole lot of people."

He looks mildly surprised. "Really? That's weird."

"Why is that weird?"

He chuckles. "I just wouldn't expect that. You're friendly and nice."

I shrug. "Yeah, well before I was really quiet."

He nods thoughtfully. "I guess you kind of get over that when you occasionally destroy your clothes." He grins at me, and I poke him.

"I know it sounds like a funny problem, but it's not." He laughs, and I can't help but join him. "Really, it's not that funny!"

"Yeah it is!" I roll my eyes at him, but allow him his laugh, because he's at least brightened a little bit. When he finally composes himself, he looks up at me. "Sorry, where were we?"

I chuckle. "I think that about covers my life before. What else do you want to know?"

He thinks for a moment. "What's it like, being a wolf?"

I frown, struggling to come up with an explanation. "It's…complicated. It's like having two people inside you that don't always agree." He raises an eyebrow at me. "Alright, say you have two roommates, right?" I continue. "And maybe one of them wants to paint the room red, and the other one wants to paint it blue, but they can only paint it one color. So there's a big struggle before they come up with something they both like, but sometimes that doesn't happen. That's what it's like sometimes. There's me, and then there's my wolf. We're the same person, technically, but we're different."

Jasper nods slowly, digesting this. "And you don't just mean physically, right? You could phase and still be you, or you could be in human form and be your wolf sometimes? Like when I got bitten, and when you saw Peter and Charlotte, that was your wolf. And when Zachary tried to grab me, that was him too, even though you were in human form. But when we were looking for the other tribe, and you were in wolf form, that was you."

I find myself a little surprised at how intuitive his analysis is. "Yes, that's exactly right. He's more impulsive, and I'm the more rational half. Most of the time I'm in control of him, but certain times, like when someone I care about is in danger, it's more him than me. Which sounds like a pretty good deal, but sometimes it's hard to mediate between what he wants to do and what I want. Like when Maria took you, he wanted to attack her right there at the beginning. But I had to stop him because I knew I couldn't do it alone. Does that make any sense?"

He nods. "Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. That has to be pretty hard."

I shrug. "It is sometimes. But it's not as bad for me as it is for some of the others. I think Sam and Jake probably struggle with it the most, because theirs are stronger; more used to being in charge. "

"Hey Seth?" he asks.

"Hmm?"

"Do you ever wish you weren't a wolf?"

I think carefully about his question. Do I? "Well…There are some times when it just makes my life difficult, but I don't wish I wasn't a wolf." I smile at him. "My life wasn't nearly as interesting before. And now I have two families and you. I mean yeah, sometimes it sucks. But it's brought me so many good things too. I wouldn't want to change that." He nods slowly. "Jasper?" He glances up. "Do you ever wish you weren't a vampire?"

Jasper is quiet for a long time, lost in his thoughts. "Sometimes," he says finally. "If I'd never been a vampire, then I would have never been a part of Maria's army. I guess in that way, death would have been easier. I wouldn't have met you and Alice either, but I wouldn't have known what I was missing. I don't think any of us would have chosen to be like this if we could. But lately I haven't been hating it so much."

"Well I can understand that. I don't know if I would have chosen this either. But I guess now that it's happened, all we can do is accept it and live with it."

"I guess so." He smiles. "It's not so bad, I guess."

I grin. "No, not so bad. You look tired. You should rest."

"Maybe I will," he murmurs as his eyes begin to close. "Try to keep your clothes on, 'kay?"

I chuckle softly as a light snore escapes him. "Will do, buddy."

* * *

**Yay! Please review and let me know what you all think! I know you have opinions, and they make me happy when you share them!**

**Until next time,**

**TheSongSmith**


	26. Chapter 26

**Wooooo! Sorry this one took so long you guys, I had major issues getting my brain to function. More at the bottom!**

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Jasper watches with a sort of mild amusement as I take his temperature for the fourteenth time today. "Well?" he asks.

"It's lower," I mutter, "But still higher than it should be." He continues to watch me for a few minutes with that same bemused expression. "What?" I ask after a while.

"Why are you fussing over me so much?" he asks.

"Because you're sick."

"But I'm fine," he insists. "I'm always fine."

I frown at this. "You're not always fine. This is abnormal and if we didn't catch it in time, something serious could have happened to-"

Jasper puts a hand over my mouth to stop me from ranting. "Seth," he says, softer now, "I'm fine. Really, I'm going to be fine. You need to relax."

"Easy for you to say," I mutter.

He sighs, patting the space next to him. "And what is it that's making it so hard for you to calm down?"

I slowly sit down beside him. "I guess it's sort of a wolf thing. Or maybe an imprint thing. I don't know. Our job is to protect people, and I can't protect you from this. I feel like I should be able to, but I can't, and I feel weird about it, like something is going to happen to you because I couldn't do anything. And I know how ridiculous that sounds, and that you don't need my protection, but I can't help it."

"That's not weird. I've felt that way."

I look over at him. "You have?"

He nods. "Sure. Like when you told me you wanted to face that guy. Do you think I wanted to let you go down there? But I knew I had to trust you. So now I'm asking you to trust me. I already told you I'm not going anywhere. I'm getting better. I'm okay. So please try to remember that and relax."

I nod reluctantly. "Okay, I'll try."

He smiles. "Thank you." His eyes search my face for a moment before he frowns. "When's the last time you slept?"

I shrug. "Does it matter?"

"Yes. When?"

I think. "Um…I guess maybe…the night before you got sick."

His frown deepens. "That was two nights ago."

"So?"

He sighs. "So, you need to sleep. I'm not going to suddenly disappear if you close your eyes. Go to sleep, Seth."

"I don't want to," I insist. "I'm fine."

He growls softly. "No you're not. Don't make me use my gift on you."

I hesitate. "I…I can't…"

He looks worried. "Why? What's wrong?"

"I'm too afraid to sleep," I admit. "I'm afraid that something is going to happen to you, and I won't know and I won't be able to stop it and that can't happen, it just can't…" I have to stop, out of breath.

Jasper reaches over and takes my hand. "Seth, you don't have to worry so much. Tell me what you're really afraid of."

"I'm afraid of losing you," I say softly. "That I'll wake up and find you gone. Dead. And I guess it scares me even more how much I need you here. I've never felt that way about someone."

He sighs, beckoning me closer until he can hug me. "You've been so strong for my sake lately, with the whole Maria situation, and now this. Sometimes I forget how much you need me too. I understand why you're scared. It's not easy to feel so strongly about a person. It makes you more…vulnerable. But I'm willing to put that out there because I care about you. And I trust you enough to be vulnerable with you. And I hope that you can trust me when I say that I am not leaving you, no matter what happens. I'm not going to die or disappear or any of those things."

"Okay," I say finally. "I trust you."

"Then will you please get some sleep, for me?"

Hesitantly, I rest my head against his shoulder. "I'll try."

He smiles, his hold on me tightening a little. "Thank you."

Though I have to fight that nagging voice in my head for a minute, I manage to slowly fall asleep against him. When I wake up again, the bed seems surprisingly empty. I look to where Jasper had been and find the rest of the bed empty. I panic for a moment before a cool hand touches my shoulder. "Seth, it's okay. I'm fine." I look over to the side of the bed to find a much healthier looking Jasper staring down at me. His skin has returned to its normal color, and his eyes are their usual yellow shade. "Sorry for scaring you. I was just looking out the window for a minute."

I take a breath, sitting up. "How are you feeling?"

He smiles. "A lot better than before. Carlisle says the infection is gone." He holds up his arm, the bite marks all but disappeared.

"You look so much better," I tell him. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

He sits down next to me on the bed. "How about you?" he asks. "Did you sleep well?"

I nod, stretching a little. "Yeah. What time is it?"

"It's three thirty."

I frown, looking at him. "It was four when I fell asleep."

He nods. "Yeah. You slept all day. I started to worry, but I guess you were just really tired. Do you feel better now?"

"Yeah, I'm good now."

He scoots a little closer. "I'm glad. You really needed it after the week we've had. Sorry I haven't been as with it as I should have been lately."

I shake my head. "Don't be sorry. You were going through a lot on your own. It's fine, really. Now we can just move on. I hope."

He chuckles. "Yeah, that would be nice."

"Well, in the interest of moving on, want to take a walk?" He nods and follows me outside. We walk quietly for a long time. "Hey Jazz?" he asks after a while, "Do you really think it's over?"

He shrugs. "I don't know. Do you?"

I think about it for a minute. "I think this part of it is. I think we'll probably have a lot more things like this coming for us in the future."

Jasper nods, quiet for a moment. "Yeah, but even if we do, we'll get through it together, like always." He smiles. "You know, that feels really weird to say."

I look at him curiously. "It is? Why?"

He shrugs. "There's just not a whole lot of people I could say that about and actually believe it. It always feels kind of strange to me." Suddenly, he stops, looking around for a moment before laughing. "Wow."

I follow his gaze, but don't understand. "What?" I ask, confused.

"This is where it all started. Right here. I didn't even realize that's where I was going."

Looking around, I see that he is correct; this is the place our story began. Something buried in the dirt catches my attention, and I carefully dig out one, and then another scrap of cloth. Jasper holds up a piece of metal, rusted from being out here for months. "He wasn't very careful," he remarks.

I nod, considering the pieces of fabric in my hand. "I think he knew he'd get caught in the end. I think he was just hoping to take me out before someone caught up to him. It was a suicide mission to begin with."

Jasper shifts closer, unsure of my emotions. I look up at him and smile a little, assuring him that I'm okay. "I still don't get it," he says after a while. "Why was he so intent on killing you? If he hadn't tried, the prophecy wouldn't have come true."

I sit down on a boulder, thinking. "Well," I say eventually, "If I had to guess, I'd say he was trying to kill two birds with one stone. He saw my pack as a threat to him, and he saw this whole joining forces thing as a bigger threat. If I'd died, the pack would have blamed your family, no matter how unlikely it may have been. If they'd done that, we never would have come together."

He nods quietly. "Well, it doesn't matter now. It's over."

I smile, dropping the scraps to the floor. "Yeah. It's over."

* * *

**Yay! Okay, so I thought a lot about where I wanna go with this story, because it's almost over, but I can't let go of it just yet. So expect a few more chapters before the end! Also, I know I say it a lot, but your reviews truly do make a difference in my life. So please click the button! It only takes a moment.**

**Luffs,**

**TheSongSmith**


	27. Chapter 27

**Yay for plot!**

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SPOV

I wake up to a series of pokes in my side. "Seth. Seth! Come on, wake up!" I open my eyes, groaning as Jasper's face slowly comes into focus.

"Five more minutes," I mumble, trying to turn over.

But he laughs and pulls the blankets off of me. "Nope. Come on! It's your birthday, and if you're late to school I'm not giving you my present."

I sigh, reluctantly getting out of bed. After deciding to stay with the Cullens, I transferred to Forks high school, and Jasper gets a kick out of waking me up in the morning. "You suck." I mumble.

"Yes, I know. Get dressed." Half an hour later, I walk downstairs to find Jasper waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. "It's about time," he teases. "You're slower than Rosalie in the morning."

I grumble at him, walking into the kitchen, where Esme smiles. "Morning Seth. Happy birthday!" She sets a plate in front of me.

"Thank you," I smile at her, eating it quickly before following Jasper outside. I notice that the car we usually ride in with the other Cullens is gone already. "Why aren't we riding with everyone else?" I ask.

Jasper shrugs. "Because we're going somewhere else after school."

"Where are we going?"

He smiles. "The mall."

"And why are we going to the mall?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?" he teases. "Just trust me, okay?"

I nod, but all through the school day, I can't help but think about what might be in store for me later. When we get back into the car, Jasper can't seem to wipe the grin off his face. We park at the mall, and I follow him inside. "So what are we doing here?" I ask again.

"Getting ice cream," he replies.

I frown. "Jasper, you don't eat ice cream. What's going on?"

He sighs. "You'll understand in a minute, I promise. Just come on."

Reluctantly, I follow him into the small ice cream shop. We wait on the line together as I wonder what could possibly be so important. After what seems like forever, we finally reach the cashier. "Hello, how may I help you?" the girl behind the counter asks." I look up at her, intending to give my order, but my words catch in my throat as I see her. Something inside me shifts, and I vaguely register Jasper's grin beside me.

"I, um…hi," I manage.

She smiles. "Hi…"

Jasper nudges me, and I realize she's waiting for me to say something. "Um…yeah…I'd like a…actually, when do you get off work?"

Jasper snickers behind me. "What he means is, his name is Seth, what's yours?"

The girl laughs. "I'm Lily. It's nice to meet you, Seth." She waits for another minute before looking at Jasper. "Is he trying to ask me out?"

He laughs. "Yes, he is."

She smiles, writing something down on a small piece of paper that she hands to me. "I get off at three. I'll meet you at the pizza place in the food court."

I nod mutely, letting Jasper steer me out of the shop. "Dude, you okay?" he asks.

"Um…yeah. I…think so." I look down at the paper in my hand, where Lily wrote her phone number." Suddenly, it occurs to me that Jasper knew this would happen all along. I smack his arm. "Jerk!"

He laughs. "What'd I do?"

"You knew and you didn't tell me!"

Jasper shakes his head at me. "My apologies for helping you find your soul mate."

I ignore him, thinking. "So that's what that feels like…" I muse.

"Well, we'd better hurry up over to the food court." I nod, following him.

"Any tips?"

He grins. "You might want to wait to explain the whole wolf and vampire thing. Maybe you should invite her to your party tonight."

I nod, thinking. "Jasper? This doesn't bother you?"

He shakes his head. "Not at all. I'm happy for you." I smile, sitting down at a table to wait. "I'll occupy myself while you're busy. Call me when you're ready to go. And Seth?"

"Hmm?"

He grins. "Try to speak. It helps." I smack him lightly and he laughs, wandering away. In a few minutes, Lily joins me.

"Hi there."

I smile. "Hi…sorry about before…I just got a little nervous."

She giggles. "Don't worry about it, it was cute. It's nice to meet you Seth. You know, I don't usually do things like this."

"Can I ask why you said yes?" I ask hesitantly. "I'm sure I looked pretty deranged."

Lily smiles. "Maybe just a little. But you were also sweet, and I think you're a little different. I don't know why, I just…I don't think I've ever felt like that about someone." I smile, relaxing a little, and before I know it we've been chatting for two hours.

"Hey Lily," I say quickly, "It's actually my birthday today, and we're having a party. If you'd like, you could come…"

She smiles. "I would love to." I give her directions to the house, smiling as she hugs me goodbye. "I'll see you later," she says.

I nod. "See you soon." I watch her disappear in the crowds before calling Jasper. "I'm ready to go."

Suddenly he appears behind me. "It's about time. How was it?"

I smile. "It went really well. She's coming over tonight."

He smiles. I'm happy for you."

Later that night, I sit in the living room with the entire group. It's still a little funny to see the wolves and the vampires sitting together, chatting as if they've always been friends, but it's also nice that they can be in the same room without killing each other, though I can't fully enjoy it. I'm waiting not so patiently to see if Lily is really going to show up. As the party winds down, I worry that she changed her mind. Sam looks at me sympathetically. "Don't worry Seth. She might not know what it is, but she feels something for you too, I'm sure. She'll be here." But as the hours pass, the guest slowly begin to trickle away, and pretty soon it's just Esme, Carlisle, Jasper and I sitting together. Esme and Carlisle are pretending to be involved in a conversation, but I know they're really worrying about what I'll do if she doesn't show up. Jasper makes no such attempt at covertness, and begins watching me. Just as I'm about to give up, he cocks an ear to the door before grinning. I raise an eyebrow at him, but he just shakes his head. There's a timid knock on the door, and he looks at me. "Are you going to answer it or not? It's not polite to leave a lady waiting."

Slowly I get up, moving into the front hall and opening the door. Lily stands there, her long brown hair waving lightly in the wind as she smiles. "Hi Seth!" she says cheerily. "Sorry I'm late, this place is not easy to find."

I smile. "That's okay, I'm glad you made it."

She holds out a small gift bag. "Happy Birthday!"

"Aww, you didn't have to get me something," I say, taking it from her.

She shrugs. "Are you going to open it?" I pull aside the tissue paper to find a small cup of ice cream. "You never ordered any," she says, grinning. "I thought you might want some."

I laugh, hugging her. "Thank you. You're right, I was craving some before." Upon closer inspection, I see that its mint chocolate chip. "How did you know this was my favorite?"

She smiles. "I just had a feeling I guess."

"Come on in," I say, closing the door behind her. She smiles, walking beside me into the living room. Carlisle and Esme look up, smiling. "Everyone, this is Lily. Lily, this is Carlisle and Esme, and that's Jasper, who you met before."

She laughs. "Oh yes, your translator. It's nice to meet you all."

"It's nice to meet you too dear," Esme says.

There's a moment of awkward silence before I turn to her. "Want to grab some spoons for this and take a walk?"

She smiles. "That sounds perfect." I hand her a spoon, then take her free hand as we walk outside. "So," she says, "I'm not really seeing the family resemblance."

I laugh. "Yeah, there isn't one. I'm just living here for now. My mom and my sister are back home. Carlisle and Esme are like my second parents."

She nods thoughtfully. "So why don't you live with your mom?" Realizing that may have been too forward, she blushes. "I mean, if you want to tell me, that is…"

I smile. "It's fine. I was attacked a couple of months ago, and Jasper's the one who found me. Carlisle's a doctor, and he saved my life. While I was recovering, I got really close to them, so I just stuck around."

Lily thinks for a moment, then gasps sharply. "That's why he looks so familiar," she mumbles to herself. I look over at her, and she blushes. "Sorry, I was just wondering where I've seen Carlisle before. I think he saved my life once too."

"Oh? What happened to you?"

She shrugs vaguely, changing the subject. "What about you? Why were you attacked?"

I hesitate. "That's kind of a long story, and I don't want to scare you just yet."

She laughs. "I don't scare that easily. Come on, what is it?"

"Well…" I pause, taking a breath. "I have a sort of…power…and it has to do with why I was attacked, and also has something to do with why I was drawn to you."

She nods. "Can you show me?"

"I probably shouldn't, but if you want to know…Just promise me you won't freak out and tell somebody."

Lily squeezes my hand a little. "I promise Seth."

"Alright, just wait right there. Remember, it's only me."

She nods, sitting down on a boulder to wait while I slip into the trees to phase. Cautiously, I poke my head out. She gasps softly, but doesn't run away as I slowly walk closer. "Seth?" she murmurs. I nod slowly. Hesitantly, she stands up, walking a little closer. I sit as she slowly reaches out, petting me softly. "That is still you, isn't it?" I nod again, my tail wagging a little faster as she moves closer. She giggles. "I have to say, I never saw that one coming." She scratches my ears, smiling as I nuzzle her hand. "Well that's a new one. Okay, change back so you can answer all my questions."

I pad back through the trees to change, then join her on the boulder again. "So, you're not freaked out?"

She shrugs. "I probably should be, but mostly I'm just curious. So what do you call…that?"

I laugh. "Well typically we're just called wolves. I guess technically speaking we're shifters, but that's the only form we have."

"So why does that happen?"

"According to our legends, the original wolves were protectors of the tribe when it was threatened by vampires. We're still the protectors of the tribe, but we're a little more specific about who we're protecting them from."

She nods. "Were there really…vampires?" I nod. "There still are, but some of them are nice and some of them are not."

I can see her thinking hard about something. "The Cullens…" she says finally, "They don't seem like normal people. Are they…?"

I nod. "Yes, but they're the nice kind. They only feed off of animals."

"How could Dr. Cullen be a doctor? Isn't that hard?"

I shrug. "You'll have to ask him. But he's the one who came up with it all. He never wanted to hurt people. The rest of his family believes the same thing. That's why I knew it was safe to ask you here tonight."

"Okay," she says easily. "So what does the wolf thing have to do with me?"

"Well, um…all wolves have a person that they're…destined to be with. And I think you're mine."

She smiles. "So that's why I felt something different about you?" I nod. "Huh. Will everyone be mad that I know?"

"No, they won't be. You're my mate. You're protected. But there is one more thing you should know." She looks up, waiting for me to continue. "Jasper is…more than just my friend. He's my imprint."

She frowns in confusion. "What's that mean?"

"Well, the same way I'm destined for you, Jasper and I are connected. But it's nothing romantic. We're just like…brothers."

She shrugs. "Okay."

"You know," I admit, "You're taking all this a lot better than I thought."

She laughs. "You're just a lucky man, Seth. Ready to head back?" I nod, taking her hand and leading her back to the house. Everyone is still in the living room. "Doctor Cullen?" she asks. "Do you remember me?"

He nods a little sadly. "Yes Lily, I remember you."

"I never got to thank you for what you did…and now I think I have even more to thank you for."

Carlisle smiles. "You don't have to thank me for anything. I'm glad I was able to help."

"Wasn't it hard though, with you being a vampire?"

Jasper looks at me questioningly, and I nod. Carlisle shrugs. "You get used to it. I never had any desire to hurt people. So I decided to help them instead."

"I think that's pretty amazing," she said. "I hope I'm not intruding, I'm just curious."

He smiles. "I'd rather you be curious than afraid."

She plops down on a couch. "I'm not afraid. If you wanted to kill me, you had plenty of chances."

He nods. "Well we certainly don't want that. I never found out what happened after you left. How did things work out?"

She smiles. "Things were hard, but we made it through. I never stopped thinking about what you told me." I frown, wondering about this connection I don't know about, but not feeling like asking would be a good thing right now.

"Well I'm glad to hear that things worked out for you," Carlisle says.

Lily checks her watch. "It's getting late, I should probably go…" She sounds almost disappointed.

"I'll walk you out," I say. When we reach the front door, I grab her hand. "You're really not bothered by any of this?" I ask.

She laughs. "Call me crazy, but not really. It's certainly unexpected, but…it's also kind of cool."

I smile. "I'm really glad. I hadn't really intended to tell you all of that tonight. But I'm glad I did."

"So, tomorrow then?" she grins.

I laugh. "Yes, tomorrow. Whenever you want." She smiles, hugging me tightly.

"Goodnight, Seth." I watch her drive down the path until her car disappears.

Jasper walks over, curious. "So…you told her everything?"

"Well, not _everything_…"

He raises an eyebrow. "Wolves?"

"Yeah."

"Vampires?"

"Uh-huh."

"Imprints and mates?"

"Yes."

"And your attack?"

I hesitate. "Well…not the details much…"

He nods. "You do know you'll have to tell her someday, right?"

"Yeah. Just not today. I think the whole vampire wolf thing was enough for one day." We go back into the living room. "Hey Carlisle?" I ask, "What's with you and her?"

He shrugs. "I was her doctor a few years back."

"Yeah, but what happened? It seems serious."

He hesitates. "It was serious. But that's up to her to tell you. I think it would be good for you to share your story too. You're not so different. She's a sweet girl." I nod, thinking as I go to bed.

"Hey Seth?" Jasper asks.

"Hmm?"

"What do you think about her?"

I smile. "I think she just might be crazy enough to put up with all of us."

* * *

**Awwww yay! Please review! Even if you hate my story. I don't even care. I just like getting reviews :D**

**Love,**

**TheSongSmith**


	28. Chapter 28

**Updates, woohoo!**

* * *

**SPOV**

Jasper is sitting next to me on the couch as I think. When I look up, I realize that he's watching me. "What?" I ask irritably.

He chuckles. "What are you freaking out about now?"

I sigh. "I can't keep it from her any longer. I just can't. It's been two months; she deserves to know the truth."

"So what's there to freak out about then?" he asks.

I shake my head at him. "You don't get it. Most normal people would find that harder to accept than the wolf thing. To other people it's…shameful. It's something they don't want to know about, and it changes the way they see you. And being a man makes it an even bigger deal because it's not something that happens to men. Whenever you say the word 'rape' everyone thinks about women. People believe that since men are stronger, it doesn't happen to them. And I don't know what I'll do if I tell her and she freaks out. I don't want her to think I'm…broken…and weak, but that's what most people think about people in my situation. What if she doesn't want to be with me anymore?"

Jasper stares at me for a moment. "Seth," he asks, "Do you consider yourself broken or weak?"

"No. I mean, maybe I was for a while, but I've gotten better. I got help, and I survived."

"Exactly!" he says. I stare at him, puzzled, and he sighs. "Seth, a weak person would never have been able to overcome something like what you went through. If you were weak, you'd have killed yourself like he wanted. And you're not broken. I've seen broken, and you're not. That's not a word that I ever want to hear connected with you." He says that last part with a bit more intensity than I expected, and I make a mental note to ask him about it later. He takes a breath, then continues. "I can't believe someone like her could ever think those things about you, and I seriously doubt that something like that will make her stop loving you. And she does love you, you know. I feel it all the time. You're meant to be together, and telling her the truth won't change that."

I nod slowly. "Do you think she'll be mad that I haven't told her yet?" I ask.

Just then, Edward and Emmett enter, Emmett taking a seat in front of the TV while Edward settles at the piano. "Of course she won't be," he says casually, his fingers lightly playing a tune. "How could she be, when she has things she hasn't told you?"

I turn and glare at him. "Do you know something I don't?"

He shrugs vaguely, and I'm a few seconds away from getting up to bother him until he tells me when Alice breezes into the room. "You should ask her to come over this afternoon and take her for a walk."

I look over at her. "You too? Does everyone know something about _my _girlfriend that I don't?!"

Emmett looks up from his video game. "I don't know! What is it?" Everyone ignores that, and he pouts. "I wanna know!"

Jasper chuckles. "Just call her, Seth. It'll be fine."

* * *

Lily and I have been walking in the woods for a while when she sits down on the bank of a river. We've talked about a lot of things, but she's seemed really distant, and it's starting to worry me. I sit down next to her, keeping her fingers locked with mine. "Something on your mind?" I ask.

She nods slowly, staring across the river. "You shared a lot of things with me, really important, secret things, and I haven't been brave enough to tell you my own secrets yet."

I squeeze her hand gently. "Don't feel bad. There's still a thing or two I've been avoiding telling you."

She looks over at me. "Should we just tell each other now and get them out of the way?"

"Sure. You can go first."

"Well, I…" she pauses. "I guess I have two. I guess the first one is a power of mine, like you have, but I don't know why I have it."

I nod slowly, intrigued. Can you show me?"

Lily nods, closing her eyes for a moment and holding out her palm, in which a golden glow starts to form. I watch curiously as the light travels until it surrounds her, at which point she opens her eyes hesitantly. "I know it's weird."

I grin. "Not any weirder than turning into a wolf. Does it…do anything?"

She laughs. "It sort of…heals things. Most things. I think. I don't know, it's not really an exact science. It just happened one day out of nowhere." She pauses, and the light disappears. "No one knows I can do that, not even my parents. You can't tell anyone. I don't even want to know what people would do to me if they found out."

Gently, I take her hand again. "I would never tell anybody, I promise."

She smiles. "Thank you." She hesitates for a moment, trying to find the words to say what she wants. "There's one more thing, but it's…kind of a long story. You see, my parents who I live with aren't my actual parents. My brother and I were taken away from them when we were little, but a couple of years ago they found us, and, um…kidnapped me, I guess. That's how I met Carlisle. When they found me, they had to take me to the hospital because of what they did. My, um, birth father I guess, did some things, and…I didn't want to live anymore. Carlisle found out, and he convinced me to give it a try. He told me it would get better, and it did. I don't think I'd still be around if he hadn't have talked to me." She pauses, looking up at me. "What about you? What's your secret?"

I hesitate, shifting closer to her. "Well…you know how I told you about how I was attacked?" She nods. "Well, the guy who did that wanted me dead because of this big prophecy thing. I was the one who was supposed to bring everyone together, and he saw that as a threat to them, so he came after me. Wolves heal really fast, and he wanted to make sure that if I did manage to heal, I'd kill myself, so he, um…well, I guess he did the same things to me that your father did to you."

Lily nods slowly, squeezing my hand. "What happened to him? And to his group?"

"Well, the rest of the pack found them, and I went to talk to them all. It turns out that he was the only one who wanted to hurt me. He kidnapped their families in order to get them to help him, so we freed them. As for him, I went to see him too. He bit Jasper, and he's dead now."

She nods thoughtfully. "Good." Suddenly she turns towards me, leaning in and kissing my cheek. "Well, I feel better," she says, smiling. "How about you?" I nod. "Ready to head back?" she asks. She stands, pulling me with her and wrapping her arms around my waist as we walk back to the house. We walk inside, finding Carlisle in the living room, engrossed in a book. Lily walks up to him, hugging him. "Thank you," she says.

Carlisle looks up, surprised. "Um…you're welcome," he replies. He grows even more confused when I hug him as well. "What'd I do?"

I smile. "Neither of us would be here without you. Thank you."

Carlisle smiles, understanding. "Oh. Well, you're welcome. I'm really glad you found each other. I think you'll be very good for each other."

Lily smiles, taking my hand again and pulling me upstairs to my room. We both sit on the bed, and she cuddles up to my side. "Hey Seth?" she murmurs.

"Hm?"

"I hope you know nothing has changed since you told me. I still love you."

I smile, kissing her cheek softly. "Nothing has changed with me either." We sit like that for a long time, enjoying the peace.

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**TheSongSmith**


	29. Chapter 29

**Woohoo for updates!**

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**JPOV**

I'm sitting in the kitchen reading, awaiting Seth's return from patrol, along with Lily. I smell something off, and look up to see him limp into view, a trail of blood dripping down his leg. I rush outside to get him. "Seth, what happened?"

"I'm fine," he insists, but I know fresh blood when I smell it, and a cut like that should have healed itself by now, even if it happened right before he left. I pick him up against his weak protests, carrying him inside and setting him down on the kitchen table, calling for Carlisle.

Lily gasps as she sees him. "Seth? What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," he insists again, but the pain in his face disagrees.

Carlisle comes into the kitchen, sitting down on a stool and examining the wound carefully. "Can you tell me what happened, Seth?"

Seth sighs, irritable the way he only gets when he's in pain. "It was nothing really. Just a little tussle. Quil said something stupid, and I bit him, and we wrestled for a bit, that's all. He got a good grip on my leg, but it'll be fine. It'll heal in no time."

"What'd he say?" I ask curiously. It's not like Seth to attack first.

From the look he gives me, I can tell it must have been bad. "That doesn't really matter right now. What matters is, I'm fine. Right Doc?"

But Carlisle is examining the wound, frowning. "Well you've got a pretty good cut, and a small fracture here. It's not healing because it's contaminated. We'll have to clean it."

Seth pouts. "No! Can't Lily just heal it?"

She rolls her eyes at him. "I'm not healing it with dirt in there. It'll kill you. I'm not that tired of you yet," she teases.

"It's not that bad," Seth says. He yelps as Carlisle pulls a fragment of a twig out from the wound. Lily raises an eyebrow at him. "Okay," he says sheepishly, "Maybe it is that bad."

She laughs. "Uh huh. Let Carlisle clean it, and then I'll heal it for you." Seth grumbles about this, but still reaches for my hand as Carlisle gets to work, just like old times. When he barely makes a peep, I suspect that he's only keeping it together to impress Lily. I also understand why he's not holding her hand instead. He'd have broken hers by now. Once Carlisle finishes, his grip relaxes, but his hand doesn't move away. "Alright," Lily says, "This is going to feel weird for a minute." She carefully touches just above the wound, closing her eyes. I can tell exactly when it starts working, because Seth's death grip on my hand is back, and he squirms at the sudden sensation.

"Does it hurt?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "No, it's just…it's weird…tingly…like when your foot falls asleep."

"Try to stay still, Seth. If you move too much you'll shift the bone, and it'll hurt going back into place."

And we soon find this is true, as Seth gasps, his grip on me tightening for a moment. "Ow…"

She wipes away the remaining blood as the light fades. "There you are, good as new. I have to get going, it's my brother's birthday tonight." She kisses his cheek softly. "You should get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow."

As she leaves, I look at Seth. "So what'd he say? It's not like you to bite people."

He sighs. "He was just being stupid and vulgar, and it involved you and Lily, and I didn't appreciate it."

I still don't get it, but manage to herd him upstairs to rest. "Hey Jasper?" he asks once he's settled in bed.

"Hm?"

"You know when we were talking the other day about telling Lily the truth? You got really intense for a while there. What was that about?"

I shrug. "I've seen broken, I've been broken…hell, I've even caused it once or twice. You are not broken, Seth."

He nods thoughtfully. "Thanks. For everything. Wanna sit with me while I 'rest' or whatever?"

I smile. As independent as Seth has grown over the past year, sometimes he still just wanted to be with me. "Sure buddy," I say, sitting down beside him. He shifts closer, and I feel his sudden worry about something. "Something on your mind?" I ask.

Seth goes red. "Um…I guess." He's very nervous and I don't know why.

"Anything you want to talk about?" He grows even redder than before. "Come on Seth, you know you can tell me anything. What is it?"

He sighs. "It's about Lily. Sort of. I've been thinking a lot, and if we're going to be together forever like mates are, eventually she's going to want to…to be…intimate."

I nod. "And that makes you nervous."

"Well yeah. It always made me nervous, but now I'm nervous about different things. I'm afraid of how I'm going to react."

"What do you mean by how you'll react?" I ask.

He sighs. "Well just a couple of months ago, I had a full flashback panic attack and passed out because of something that was just remotely similar to what I experienced. What am I going to do when something is very similar? I don't want to freak out with her, especially not in that kind of moment. But I can't say no to her either. What do I do?"

I put an arm around him, pulling him closer. "I understand why you're nervous. I had the same sort of problems when I met Alice."

He looks up at me. "You did?"

"Mhm. Almost exactly the same. See, the only intimate sort of experiences I'd had at that point had been with Maria, and those…well, they weren't always good ones, not that I fully understood that until later. Anyway, when I discovered that it was something Alice wanted, I kind of freaked out. I started avoiding even touching her. She knew I was scared, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her why."

He nods thoughtfully. "So what happened?"

I smile. "Well, eventually I couldn't take it anymore, and one day I broke down and told her everything."

"And? What happened after that?"

"Well," I reply, "She was kind of relieved it wasn't her I was really avoiding. She said she understood why I was nervous, and that she could show me something different than what I'd known. After that, we just took everything one step at a time."

Seth nods absently, thinking. "So, you think I should talk to her about it?"

"Yes, I think you should tell her exactly what you told me. Tell her why it makes you nervous, and I'm sure she'll understand. Then you don't have to worry about it forever."

He nods, yawning. "Thanks Jasper…"

I chuckle as his head slowly sinks down to rest under my collarbone. "You look exhausted." For some reason, I was always Seth's favorite pillow. He claims it's more comfortable, but I don't see how. But he must be right, because it only takes a minute before his soft snores fill the room.

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**TheSongSmith**


	30. Chapter 30

**Miss Bonnie Blue Butler asked for more Jasper drama/fluff, and she read my mind! You know I couldn't end without a little more drama ;)**

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**SPOV**

Lily, Jasper and I walk back from Jasper's latest hunting trip. Having all three of us together makes it easier to spend time with both of them. As we walk peacefully, I notice Jasper stumble out of the corner of my eye. I turn to look at him. "Are you alright?"

He looks at me like I'm crazy. "Fine, why?"

"You tripped. I've never seen you trip."

He rolls his eyes. "You've also never seen a billion dollars, but that doesn't mean it's not real."

As he says this, he stumbles again, and his hand comes up to rest against his stomach. "Really Jasper, are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm…yeah. I'm fine. Just tired, maybe…"

Suddenly, he falls to the ground. I run over, scooping him up. I start to run towards the house before I remember Lily. I look behind me to see her following. "Go, Seth," she says. "Take him to Carlisle. I'll meet you there." I nod, carrying him back to the house as fast as possible. I set him down on Carlisle's desk without a word, watching him jump up.

"What happened?" he asks.

"I don't know. He went hunting, and on the way back he started getting clumsy. It looked like his stomach was bothering him. I asked him what was wrong, but he told me he was fine. And then he just dropped."

Carlisle nods, checking him over. "And you didn't see him get injured? What did he eat and where?"

He has his serious doctor voice on, so I try to answer as quickly as possible. "No I was watching him the whole time. All he did was hunt. He found some mountain lions up near the bottom of the mountain." He nods, giving a small "Hm" as the only acknowledgement that I spoke. "What is it Carlisle? What's wrong with him?"

He looks up at me as if noticing me for the first time. "I think one of the animals might have eaten something poisonous that ended up in its blood. Did one of the animals look sick?"

I think hard, trying to picture each one. "No…well…there was one who was limping a little. Does that count?"

"It might. It would explain the symptoms."

I nod as Lily comes through the door, wrapping her arms around my waist. "So what do we do?"

"Well," Carlisle says, "I'm going to take a venom sample to see what kind of poison it is."

"Then what?" I ask. "I mean, he'll be okay, won't he? The poison will just work itself out of him?"

Carlisle looks up, a little pained. "Considering it was only a matter of minutes before he went unconscious, I don't think we have time to wait for his body to catch up."

His words hit me hard. "But…but vampires don't die!"

"Not under normal circumstances. Poison isn't a normal circumstance."

Lily rubs my back gently, but I'm far from being comforted. "Well what can we do to speed things up?" she asks.

"Seth, hold his arm for me," Carlisle instructs. "Once I find out what it is, I'm going to send Edward and Emmett to search the area he hunted in for the right plant so I can make a vampire friendly antidote."

I groan softly, watching as Carlisle takes his sample. "That'll take forever!"

"I'm working as fast as possible, Seth. Just try to be patient."

"We don't have time to be patient!" I explode.

Lily takes my hand, turning my chin until I look at her. "Seth, listen to me. If anyone can help him right now, it's Carlisle, and you know that. He's going to do everything he can for Jasper. I know you're scared, but getting upset isn't going to help anyone, and yelling isn't going to help either. Just take a deep breath and let him work. It's going to be okay."

I nod, trying to take a breath. "Okay. I'm sorry Carlisle. I didn't mean to yell."

He nods. "Its fine, Seth. I know you're worried about him. Just watch him for me while I look at this, will you? Tell me if anything changes." I nod, watching him closely for any sign of change, but finding none. After a few minutes, Carlisle moves back over from his microscope. "I have it. Edward and Emmett are going to look for it."

I hesitate, not wanting to leave his side, but feeling useless. "Should I go with them?"

Carlisle shakes his head. "No. They'll find it. But if he wakes up, you're the only one he's going to listen to. He's going to panic, and I need you to keep him calm." He rolls out a hospital type bed. "Move him over here. Gently." I carefully pick him up, laying him out on the small, white bed. Carlisle goes back to his desk, working on the base of the antidote he's making so that it'll be ready when the others find the right plant.

"Where's Alice?" Lily asks. "Should I get her?"

"She's out with Rose for the weekend." Carlisle looks at Jasper for a moment. "I'm sure she's watching him. If things take a turn for the worst, we'll tell her to come back. He's stable enough so far. Let's hope it stays that way." I stand at the side of the bed, watching Jasper for anything, even the slightest twitch. There is nothing. "Lily," he instructs from the desk, "Do you see those machines over there? I need you to set up the sensors. I'll tell you where."

"What do those do?" I ask.

"Well vampires don't have heartbeats, but we can measure brainwaves, the flow of venom, temperature, and his breathing patterns to make sure he's still hanging in there."

Lily drags over the machines. "I thought vampires don't need to breathe."

"They don't, but after so many years, our bodies still do it even though we don't need to. Jasper is still breathing. If he stops we know he's fading. It's probably easier to remove his shirt and jeans first, so if we do need to do something, we won't have his clothes tangled in the sensors. I'll give you a blanket to cover him with when you're done placing them." I help Lily remove the articles Carlisle mentioned, checking carefully to make sure all of the sensors are in the right places before covering him with the blanket. Carlisle finishes his mixture and looks up. "They're on their way back." He comes over to check the machines.

"Well?" I ask. "How is he?"

Carlisle looks at him. "His temperature is a little high, but I don't want to touch that until we get him some medicine, unless it's an emergency. Other than that, he's hanging in there. If he can keep it up just a little bit longer, he should be okay."

Lily checks her watch. "I'm going to call my parents and tell them I'm staying over tonight."

"You don't have to do that," I say.

She cuts me off. "I'm not leaving you alone with this. I'm staying."

Carlisle stands at the other side of the bed, gently placing an IV in his arm. "If he starts to wake up, you need to watch this. He doesn't like them, and he usually tries to rip them out." I nod, watching him carefully.

Just then, Edward and Emmett come in, holding a few twigs from a plant. Carlisle takes them, going back to work on his antidote as the boys come over. "How is he?" Emmett asks.

"We don't know yet. Edward, can you…is he…" I can't bring myself to finish the sentence, but he understands anyway."

"He's still in there. It's quiet, but he's there." I nod, watching him intently. With the antidote finished, Carlisle comes over and attaches it to the IV.

"So what now?" I ask. "What do we do?"

Carlisle sighs. "Now, the only thing we can do is wait, and hope we got to him in time." I was hoping he wouldn't say that.

Some time in the wee hours of the morning, Carlisle takes his updated venom sample. He frowns while he examines it, and mutters something about checking a book as he breezes out of the room. I look around, seeing Lily curled up in a chair, sleeping. Edward and Emmett have gone outside on some task for Carlisle that I didn't really pay attention to. Esme comes in, looking worried. "Nothing yet?" she asks.

I shake my head. "Nothing."

She comes over to stand on his other side. "I'm sure he'll be okay. He's stubborn." I nod, but don't voice what I'm thinking, that stubbornness might not be enough to save him this time.

I hear a groan, jumping at the sudden sound, and looking down at the boy on the bed. "The hell is in my arm?" he asks irritably, his eyes closed.

I can't help but laugh. "Welcome back." His free hand gropes blindly for the IV, but I grab his arm. "Jasper Whitlock, don't you dare pull that out!" His eyes open, and he tenses as they land on the IV and the mass of wires attached to him. He loses his grip on his emotions, and I can feel his panic starting. "Woah, Jasper, look at me buddy. It's okay."

He gasps for breath a little as he tries to figure out what's happening Esme takes his hand. "Jasper, sweetheart, you're okay. You're safe. Just calm down."

"Momma…" he whimpers, trying to sit up.

Esme gently pushes him back down to the bed. "It's okay, I'm here. Just relax, Jasper. We don't want you to get hurt."

Slowly, he starts to process his surroundings, and he calms slightly. "Seth?"

I brush his hair back. "I'm right here, buddy. You're okay."

"Please take them off. I don't want them."

I sigh. "I'm sorry Jasper, but I can't do that. They're helping you. You need to keep them on until Carlisle says you can take them off."

He whines softly. "But…I don't like it," he says petulantly.

"Too bad. You need it. I did not carry your ass over here and worry about you for hours just so you could finish the job yourself."

He sighs as if I'm the one who's being difficult. "What am I doing here anyway?"

"Remember when you told me you were fine?" He nods. "Well just as soon as you finished saying that, you passed out. Is it really so hard to just say you weren't feeling well? You were poisoned Jasper!"

He looks up at me curiously. "Why are you angry? I didn't poison myself."

"I'm not…" I start, then realize I do sound angry. I take a breath and start again. "I'm not angry with you. I'm just upset. I was worried about you. Carlisle said you could have died. I was scared."

He reaches out for my hand. "I'll be alright. Calm down."

"That's what I keep telling him," Lily says, coming up behind me. She must have woken up during the commotion. "Welcome back Jasper."

He looks at her, puzzled. "What are you still doing here?"

She laughs. "Well I wasn't just going to leave with you unconscious. Besides, someone had to keep Seth from going crazy."

Jasper chuckles softly. "Thanks for looking after him."

Just then, Carlisle calls for me from the study. I look back at Jasper, not wanting to leave. Esme pats my arm lightly. "Go ahead, Seth. Lily and I will wait with him."

Slowly, I leave the room and find Carlisle. He looks distressed, staring down at a big medical book. "Need something?" I ask.

He nods. "You'd better take a seat."

I cautiously sit in a chair, watching him. "Carlisle, what's wrong? What is it?"

The doctor sighs heavily.

"We, um…we have another problem."

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**Oh no! Yes, I know, I'm horrible for cutting it off there. But you know what that means? You should review so you get to find out faster what's going on! Muahaha.**

**I still luffs you all though :D  
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***hugs and butterfly kisses***

**TheSongSmith**


	31. Chapter 31

**Drama and warm tinglys!**

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**SPOV**

"Oh no," I mutter. "What is it now?"

Carlisle sighs. "I found something unusual in his venom. I don't think poison was the only thing wrong with the wolves."

I groan, putting my head down on the desk. "Come on Carlisle, just tell me."

"Well, I…"

He struggles for a moment, trying to get the words out, but can't seem to find them. Instead he turns his book around and pushes it towards me, pointing at a page. I can't believe what I'm reading. "Rabies?!" I almost shout.

"Shh! Not so loud! You'll scare him!" Carlisle sighs, sitting down behind his desk again. "I know, we really didn't need this."

"Do vampires even…get rabies?" I ask, quieter.

"I don't know," he replies. "Not many of them eat from animals."

I nod. "So what do we do?"

Carlisle shakes his head slowly. "I can try to make a version of the human rabies treatment for him, but he's not going to like it."

I frown. "Why? What's the treatment?"

"Shots," he sighs. "Lots of them."

Oh yeah. Jasper's going to have a fit. "But we can't just leave it," I say. "He could go crazy and die! We have to do something, and if that's what's going to work, then…we'll just have to get him to cooperate."

"I don't think you understand," Carlisle says. "Jasper is tough. He's not afraid of anything, except needles. He's been known to have panic attacks over them. You saw how he reacted the last time he got sick, and that was only one. This is going to be a lot more than one."

I groan. "How many are we talking?"

He thinks about it. "At least five. That's the number for humans, but with vampires it might be a little more involved."

"He's going to pass out. You know that, right? We're going to have to drug him to get that into him."

Carlisle sighs. "That's why I wanted to tell you first. He's weak enough as it is, and we really don't need him freaking out."

I almost laugh at that. "You think _I'm_ going to be able to stop that train wreck?"

"You're the only chance we have. You, and maybe Esme, and Alice if she comes back. You're the only people he'll always listen to. He's not going to like it, but if we can just keep him calm enough to give him the shots, it'll be okay."

I look at him like he's crazy. "I don't know how you expect me to keep him calm at all. He's going to flip."

Carlisle nods. "Well, we have to tell him, either way."

"How much time do we have to figure out a treatment before it's too late?"

He thinks for a moment. "We've got a few weeks before he starts to develop symptoms, but with any luck I'll have at least the first series done tonight."

"Okay. I think we need to tell him now, but maybe not all the details. I don't want to lie to him, but if we start talking about needles now, he'll freak himself out too much just waiting for it."

"Okay," Carlisle says, "So how are you going to tell him so that he doesn't freak out?"

I have to think. "I guess I'll just tell him that we think he might have caught something else, and that you're working on a way to treat it. We don't have to go into details until later."

Carlisle nods. "Good idea. You'd better go before he starts getting nervous."

I nod. "Oh, Carlisle? Can I take some of his sensors off? They're making him really uncomfortable."

"Sure. You can take off the brain wave and breathing pattern sensors. That should help him relax a little."

I leave the office, pulling out my cell phone and dialing Alice's number. "I know," she says when she picks up. "I'm on my way, I'll be there as soon as I can. Just try to keep him calm, and don't go into the details until I get there." I go back upstairs to find a calmer, but still anxious looking Jasper waiting for me. Esme and Lily are talking to him, but I don't think he's been paying any attention. "What's wrong?" he asks me. "What did he want?"

I move back to my place at his side, taking his hand again. "Oh, Carlisle just wanted to ask me some more questions. How are you feeling?"

If he knows I'm lying, he doesn't show it. "Uncomfortable."

I chuckle. "He said I can remove some of these. Would that make you happier?"

Jasper nods eagerly. "Please!" Gently, I begin removing the sensors from his head. "Seth, why don't I have clothes on?" he asks.

"Well we decided that, in the interest of saving your life, we could let fashion go a little." He raises an eyebrow at me, and I laugh. "We just didn't want your clothes tangled up in all these wires if we had to act fast. At least you've still got underwear on. I'm going to move the blanket a little to take more of these off." He growls halfheartedly at me, but doesn't resist when I fold the blanket down to remove the sensors from his chest. When I'm done, I pull it back up again. "There. Feel better?"

"A little." He looks at the remaining sensors. "When can these come off?"

I chuckle. "They'll be off soon. We just want to make sure the medicine works like it should first."

He sighs. "Fine. Where's Carlisle?"

Okay Seth, you can do this. "He's working on some stuff for you. He found something in the venom sample he took before you woke up, so he's trying to figure it all out so we can make sure you get back in order. He'll be in soon to explain the details and everything, but you'll be okay." I hope that last part is true. He nods slowly, but still looks agitated. "Try to relax, Jasper. What can I do to help?"

He hesitates. "Well…if you wanted to sit with me…that would be okay." I smile. Always so unwilling to admit what he wants. But I climb up anyway, and after a minute he scoots closer, letting me put my arms around him. A few seconds later he shifts again, ending up lying halfway on top of me. "You're warm," he says, the first happy note leaking into his voice.

I chuckle. "I usually am. Are you cold?" He nods, pulling the blankets up to cover me too so that my heat gets trapped in them. I look up at the machine that's reading his temperature. It says it's a little higher than normal, but if being warmer will relax Jasper, at least for a few minutes, I'm not going to argue, especially because I know what's coming.

"Seth," he says after a while, "Where's Alice?"

I hug him tighter. "I just spoke with her. She's on her way home." This seems to comfort him a little, and he nods.

We stay that way for a few minutes until Edward and Emmett return. Edward shares a look with me, and I know he knows the truth. "Good to see you Jasper," he says. "Carlisle asked us to bring some more blood home. Do you want some?"

Jasper gags a little. "Um…no, not right now, thanks."

Edward nods. "Okay. Let us know if you need anything."

He sighs. "I need Alice."

"She's coming," I tell him again.

"It'll be okay," Emmett says. "She'll be here soon."

Jasper nods, but I'm getting the feeling that he doesn't believe me. He stays quiet for a while, until Alice comes through the door. He smiles, reaching out for her. "Sorry I'm late," she says, hugging him gently. "How are you holding up?"

He smiles. "I'm okay now. But Carlisle thinks there might be something else wrong with me. Is there?"

Alice thinks for a minute. "I think you'll be just fine. Just hang in there."

Carlisle enters apprehensively, and Jasper looks at him. "Something's wrong, isn't it?" he asks hesitantly.

Carlisle sits down on the side of the bed. "Well, I found something a little strange in your venom sample, so I wanted to check it out." He pauses, taking a breath. "It seems one of the animals you fed off of had been infected with rabies."

I don't think I've ever really seen what shock looks like, but I'm guessing it looks a lot like Jasper right now. His mouth hangs open as he stares through Carlisle for a minute. "Y-You mean, I…I have rabies?" I squeeze his hand as he swallows nervously.

Carlisle hesitates. "Technically, yes. But it's still early enough to treat you. I've been working on a treatment for you, so don't panic."

Jasper nods slowly. "And…what is this treatment?"

"Well, um…" Carlisle hesitates. "It's…going to involve some injections."

A small noise escapes Jasper at that word, and he swallows nervously. "How many is 'some'?" he asks as if he really doesn't want to know.

I watch him carefully. "Well they'll be given over the next few days," Carlisle says, "But…about seven total."

All the wind seems to rush out of Jasper. His mouth opens and closes a few times, as if he's trying to speak but can't find the right words. His grip on my hand gets almost painful, and he gets even paler, if that's possible. Alice watches him worriedly. "Jasper? Honey?"

A shudder escapes him as he finds his words, sounding somehow smaller than before. "I…I don't think I can," he manages.

"Jasper," I murmur, "I know you're scared, but it's going to be alright. These are going to help you. And you'll have me and Alice and everyone to support you. It'll be alright."

"But…I'm scared," he says. And it's true. Jasper trembles like a leaf, looking more and more like a terrified child.

Alice sits beside him. "Jasper, it's okay. We're here. You know we wouldn't let you get hurt. I promise it'll be okay, but you need this to help you."

He looks up at Esme, who smiles. "You'll be okay, sweetheart. It won't be that bad. You know Carlisle won't do anything bad to you."

He nods. "O-Okay…then I guess…I can try," he whispers, accepting Esme's hug. "When do we start?"

"I'd like to give you the first four today," Carlisle explains, "And then one a day for three days, or until your venom is clean."

Jasper takes a shaky breath. "Will, um…will you stay with me? All of you?"

"Of course we'll stay," Alice replies. "We'll be right here with you, no matter what. I just need to talk to Seth in the hallway really quick, but Esme will stay with you, and Carlisle won't start until we get back. Is that okay?"

He nods again, and she pulls me out of the room. As soon as she's out of his sight, she seems to deflate. "Do you really think he'll be alright?" she asks nervously.

"I'm not the one who can see the future, Alice. How should I know?"

She sighs. "I know. I'm just worried. He seems alright now, but on the inside he's a nutcase."

I nod. "I know. But not doing this is not an option for us. The best we can do is keep it together as best as we can and help him through it. You have to stay strong, even if he falls apart. He needs us."

Alice nods, hugging me tightly. "Thank you Seth. Are you ready?"

"Actually, can I ask you about something first?" She nods. "What's with him and Esme today? I've never seen him act like that. He even called her Momma today."

She smiles a little. "It happens sometimes when he gets scared. We all want our Mommas when we're scared. He won't want to talk about it later, but he honestly is attached to her. He respects her, and her assurance means a lot to him, especially when he's not sure. It's not much of a surprise, he's used to listening to powerful women. And when his feelings get the best of him, he tends to slip back into that."

I nod, taking a breath before heading back to the room. I find that Jasper has shifted so that he's now sitting in Esme's lap, and that he's too frightened to be embarrassed about that. Alice and I settle on either side of him, He looks over at me as I take his hand. "Deep breaths, Jasper. You can do this," I assure him. He nods, but when Carlisle comes back into the room he tenses up again. Esme rubs his back gently until he takes another breath.

"Alright Jasper, let's get this over with, shall we?" Carlisle asks. He nods. "It's not going to be bad. They're all going to go right up in your shoulder, and they're not that big. Would you like me to tell you before each one, or would you prefer not to know?"

Jasper swallows. "I'd…like to know," he says, eyeing the needles.

"Okay," Carlisle says gently. "I'll tell you before I do them. Just hang in there, okay? It'll be over before you know it." Jasper nods, pressing closer to Esme, who tightens her hold on him. He watches as Carlisle prepares the syringe, his eyes wide.

"Alright Jasper, ready to get this over with?" Jasper nods, flinching a little as Carlisle rolls his sleeve up. He cleans the area gently before holding his arm. Jasper watches carefully. "It'll hurt worse if you watch," Carlisle says. "Why don't you look over at Seth, and I'll count to three and then do it?"

"O-Okay," he manages, turning to face me. I take the hand that's not holding Alice's, squeezing it gently as Carlisle begins to count.

"One…two…three." He quickly injects the first part into the upper arm of a whimpering Jasper. He's fighting to not jump off the bed and bolt, and his grip on my hand is painful. "Alright Jazz, you're done with the first one." He takes a breath, relaxing slightly. "Was it bad?" Jasper shrugs, but he trembles slightly when Carlisle picks up the second one.

"You can do it, Jasper," Alice encourages softly. "You'll be alright." Still, he flinches as Carlisle administers the shot. Esme runs her fingers through his hair as he finishes.

"Um…Carlisle?" he says softly. "Could you do the last two quickly please? One after the other? I don't know how much longer I'll be able to stay still."

Carlisle nods, and we all breathe a sigh of relief. Jasper always gives warning signs before he bolts, and I've seen many of them already. He's already checked all the exits, and he's tensing up every time Carlisle leans close. "Alright Jazz. The second one might hurt a little bit more because it's thicker, but it shouldn't be too bad. Should I count for the second one?"

"No," Jasper decides. "Just do it quickly, before I lose control."

"Okay Jasper. One…two…three." He injects the first one, and Jasper tenses again, trying to keep himself in check. Quickly, Carlisle moves to the second one as a small whimper escapes him. He pulls it out, coving the site with a bit of gauze. "All done, son. You did great. Deep breaths now." Finally, Jasper relaxes a bit, resting his head against Esme's shoulder, his grip still firm on mine and Alice's hands.

Alice kisses his cheek gently. "You did it Jasper!"

He sighs. "I still have three more days."

"Well think about it this way," I say. "You're already more than halfway done."

He smiles a little. "You knew, didn't you? Before Carlisle came in."

I feel myself go red. "Well..yeah. I'm sorry. I didn't want to lie to you, but I was worried you'd be too scared if you thought about it so long."

Suddenly, he hugs me. "Thanks. For everything."

I smile, hugging him back. "You're welcome. Thanks for trusting us."

"How could I not?" he asks, chuckling softly. "You've saved my life twice today."

I laugh. "Yeah, about that. How about we think about not scaring me to death like that ever again?"

He looks at me. "You were that scared?"

"Of course I was! I was freaking out the whole time. I even yelled at Carlisle when he told me to be patient. You dropped so suddenly, and I had no idea what was wrong. I thought we were going to lose you."

Jasper looks over at Carlisle. "Did he really yell at you?"

Carlisle laughs. "Yes, he did."

"So that's why Lily stayed," he says, grinning. "She knew you were losing it."

Lily giggles. "Got that right."

"You know, you and Seth are very much the same when it comes to each other. You've both yelled at me now," Carlisle says

I look at Jasper. "When did you yell at him?"

"Remember when we did the thing with the collar?" I nod. "I told you I made him promise not to push you too far. I might have gone slightly overboard."

I laugh. "We're both horrible assistants then. Carlisle? Is he going to be alright?"

"Well, the antidote for the poison seems to be doing its job. He'll still need to rest a lot, but I'll check his venom again in a few hours to see how it's doing. And once his venom is clear of the rabies, he should be good as new." I nod, smiling gratefully at him.

For the first time, Jasper seems to realize that he's in Esme's lap. If he could blush, I think he would be. "I'm sorry, Esme…" he murmurs. He starts to reluctantly shift off of her, but she hugs him, stopping his movement.

"It's okay Jasper. I don't mind. You're welcome to stay there."

Jasper pauses, unsure of what to say. I know his desire to stay in her arms is warring with his idea of what he should act like. I also know that idea has been shattered today, and so his need for comfort wins. "Um…okay. As long as you don't mind…" he replies, but I know she can feel his relief as much as I can as he settles back down against her. As soon as he relaxes, his eyes start to close. "Mm…tired," he mumbles, his head resting against her shoulder she rubs his back quietly until he falls to sleep against her.

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**Yay! But of course the doctor fluffs can't be over just yet. So stay tuned and make sure you review!**

**Love,**

**TheSongSmith**


	32. Chapter 32

**Fluffers!**

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**JPOV**

I wake up on something soft and oddly shaped. A warm feeling washes over me, the kind I only get around Esme. There's a light touch along my back, and I open my eyes to find her smiling down at me. "Good morning Jasper. How are you feeling?" I look around for a moment, confused. I'm in Carlisle's office with Seth curled up in a chair, asleep. I realize that not only is Esme very close, but that I fell asleep in her lap. Slowly, pieces of last night come back to me. "It's alright," she says softly. "Carlisle said you'd probably be a little disoriented when you woke up. And you don't have to be embarrassed about falling asleep here either. You know I don't mind."

I look up at her. "What time is it?"

"Almost noon."

"And you…you stayed here this whole time?"

She smiles. "Of course I did. It seemed to be helping, and that doesn't happen too often. I really don't mind." It catches me off-guard, how at ease she's managed to put me. "Jasper? Are you alright?"

I nod. "Yeah, I'm…fine. Sorry. It's just…I've never had anyone do that. Thank you."

"It was no problem," she says. "I'll gladly stay as long as you want me to."

I bite my lip, because the truth is, I don't want to get any farther from her right now. For some reason, she's been able to slip past all my usual defenses without me even noticing. It's been so long since I've been able to sit like this and not worry, and I don't really want it to stop. "Well, if you don't mind…I'd kind of like to stay like this for a while."

Esme smiles, hugging me gently. "I'd like that too. So how are you feeling?"

"A little sore, and tired. But I'm okay. I'm supposed to get another shot today, aren't I?"

She nods. "Yes, but only one. It won't be too bad, I promise. And it won't be for a bit. Carlisle and Alice went on some errand or another, so you've got Seth and I for a while." She looks over at Seth, who snores from his chair. "Well, you have me. Seth passed out a little while after you did. I keep thinking he's going to fall out of the chair. He refused to go to his own bed last night, but he doesn't seem to fit in there."

I chuckle. Seth is clearly too big to be comfortable in his chair, his limbs spilling out in all directions. "Seth can fall asleep anywhere if he's tired enough. At least he's sleeping."

She laughs. "Good point."

I hesitate before looking up at her. "Esme? Can I ask you a question or two?"

She nods. "Of course Jasper. Ask anything you'd like."

"Do you, um…do you think I'll be okay?"

Her hand rubs my back gently. "Is that something you're worrying about?" I nods slowly, looking away from her. "Well that's nothing to be ashamed of, Jasper. It's a scary thing, especially for people like us who aren't like this often. You're allowed to be scared. But I do believe that you'll be just fine. I'm sure you'll be back to normal very soon. Carlisle says you'll be tired for a few days after you finish the vaccines, but after that, you should be good as new."

I nod, feeling a little bit better. "It's not something I'm used to. I mean, I've been…uncomfortable plenty of times, but I don't usually…" I pause, trying to find the right words.

"Talk about it?" Esme suggests.

I nod. "It was never something that was encouraged before I came here. I never really learned how to…express my own emotions unless they get out of control. I'm much better with other people's emotions."

"So I've noticed. I've always thought you might be happier if you did express them more often."

I look up at her, curious. "Really? Why?"

She shrugs. "Well, I know you do feel things, no matter how much you try to convince us that you don't. I know what it's like to keep all that stuff inside. And look at how you feel with Seth, or Alice. You know how to express those things with them because of the connection you have. But with other people, it's harder. And I do understand why it's hard for you. Growing up, and being with Maria, emotion was just a hindrance. It was something to push away until you were alone, something you just didn't talk about. After a lifetime of that, it's so hard to do anything else."

I nod, quiet for a minute as I watch her, in awe of her understanding. "I'm…I'm scared, Esme," I whisper.

She hugs me tightly, kissing my forehead. "I know, sweetheart. And it's okay to be scared. But I promise you, everything is going to be okay. You are in the best possible hands, and you're already so much better than you were. I know it doesn't feel like it now, but you're going to be good as new very soon. And you know you can always talk to me. I'll never make fun of you."

I smile a little. "I know. Thank you." I pause for a moment, gathering my thoughts. "Esme, why do you….do this?" I ask finally.

She raises an eyebrow at me. "Do what?"

"Why do you…care? About me, I mean. You never treat me differently than anyone else. You always offer to help, even though you know I'll almost never take you up on it. You're warm and comforting, even though you know I probably won't respond the same way. You love me. I know you do. I just don't understand why."

She smiles, lightly brushing my hair back. "I love you because I view you as my own child. I know how special you are, and you're important to me. I have no reason to treat you differently. I offer to help because I love you, and if there's something I can do to take some of the burden off of you, I will always gladly do it. I know you don't like help in your normal everyday life, and that you're not the cuddly type most of the time, but look at us now. I do those things all the time, so that you know that when you really need them, I'll be here. You may not always want to be hugged or even touched. But I know that sometimes you do. And when you do, you know that you can turn to me, just like you did last night when you were scared, and just like you're doing now."

"But don't you get discouraged?" I ask.

She considers it for a moment. "Not really. Because I know even if you don't respond or ask for help, you know that I care about you. That's all I can ask."

I nod slowly. "I've always known that, even if it never made much sense. And I do appreciate it, even though I know I don't thank you nearly enough."

"Jasper, you don't have to thank me for loving you. You're my son, and nothing could ever change that. No matter how few and far between the moments may be, I will always be here for you when you need me to be."

I sigh, resting my head against her shoulder. "I still don't get it."

She laugh softly. "What's still confusing you?"

"Why me? Out of all people, why me?"

Esme sighs, her fingers lightly running over my cheek. "You honestly don't see it in yourself, do you? How wonderful you are? You're special, Jasper. And you have a good heart, no matter how much you try to hide it. You're protective because you love people. You're the best son anyone could want. I can see that, even if you can't." She smiles. "I guess you'll just have to believe me."

I nod. "Okay. I'll believe you."

"Okay then. Are you thirsty?"

I hesitate. "Well…sort of. I am, but after what happened last time, I'm a little hesitant to ingest any more."

She nods. "That's understandable. Well, Carlisle has tested everything we have in storage, so we know it's safe. Would you like to try a little bit and see how it goes?" I nod, and she calls for Edward to bring some up. He comes up with a mug full of blood, handing it to me and asking how I am before disappearing again. I hold the cup gingerly, staring down into it. Esme rubs my back gently. "One sip at a time?" she suggests. I nod, slowly bringing it up and taking a small sip. I half expect it to come right back up, but surprisingly, I feel slightly better. I take a bigger sip, relaxing against Esme. "Is that going down alright?"

"Surprisingly, yes."

"Good. Why don't you drink that cup and then wait a little bit to make sure your stomach is okay, and then we can always get you some more."

I nod. "I think that sounds like a good idea. I really don't want to throw up."

"I don't think anyone does."

I look over at Seth again, who's shifted slightly and is balancing on the edge of the chair. "Did Carlisle really have an errand to run, or is he just trying to spare me?"

She laughs softly. "Well he did have something to do. I don't think it was so pressing that it had to be done this morning. But he's also sparing himself. He hates doing this to you."

I raise an eyebrow at her. "Why?"

"Well he loves you too," she explains. "He knows how much stress this is putting you through, and he hates knowing that it's his fault."

"But it's not his fault. Not really. I mean, yes, he has to give me the shots and everything, but he's doing it to save my life."

She nods. "Yes, but he still feels bad about it. He doesn't like doing it, but he knows he has to."

I nod slowly. "I guess I can understand that. But he really shouldn't feel bad."

"Well he'll be back soon. At least then you can get it over with for today."

There is a soft knock at the door, and Lily sticks her head in. "Hi Jasper. How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright," I reply. "How are you?"

She smiles. "I'm good. I came to check on Seth." She looks over at him, giggling. "I see he's the same as ever."

I chuckle. "Yeah, I guess so."

She walks over to the chair, lightly touching his shoulder. "Seth? Seth, wake up."

Seth groans, opening his eyes and trying to stretch, but the movement upsets his careful balance, and he ends up tumbling onto the floor. There is a moment of silence before Lily and I burst into laughter. Even Esme giggles. Seth glares at us. "Glad I could entertain you."

"Good morning," Lily manages between her giggles. "We were just checking on you."

He sighs, picking himself off the floor. "Morning." He looks over to me, softening a little. "How are you? Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep."

I shake my head. "It's alright, you need to sleep. Esme and I just had some quality time. You didn't miss much. Are you okay?"

He nods, relaxing a little. "Yeah, I'm fine." His eyes travel to the cup in my hand. "You've been eating?"

"Yes, a little. It's going well so far."

Just then, there's a soft knock on the door, and Alice enters, followed by Carlisle. For the first time, I notice the worried lines drawn in his face as Alice settles beside me. "Morning Jasper. How are you feeling?"

I shrug. "I'm fine. How are you?"

He smiles briefly before it disappears. "I'm okay. I'm sure you know what's coming."

I nod. "I do. And…Carlisle? You shouldn't feel bad. I don't blame you. If it wasn't for you, I'd be dead, so…don't worry about it."

"Okay. I'll try. Are you ready?" I take a deep breath before nodding to him, feeling Alice's small hand slip into mine. I look toward the opposite wall as I feel him take my arm, determined to handle myself better this time around. I have to, for my sake, and for Carlisle's. It's just one. Children can do that. Human children. And so can I. I can't help flinching when I feel the sharp pinch, but manage to keep myself under control. "There you go," Carlisle says. "Are you okay?"

I nod, relaxing against Esme again. "Yeah, I'm fine. Um…thank you. For doing this. I know it's not easy."

He looks at me curiously. "Yes…well, I think it's probably harder on you. And we all love you, so it has to be done." He smiles a little. "You can't get rid of us that easily, I'm afraid."

I chuckle. "And I tried so hard. Oh well. But really, thank you. I do appreciate it." I hesitate for a moment before quickly reaching out and hugging him. He is shocked for a moment, and I hold my breath until he relaxes, hugging me back.

"Thank you, Jasper," he murmurs, and I know he's understood my meaning. When I pull back, he's smiling in earnest. "Well then, is there anything else I can do for you?"

I shake my head. "No, I think that's about it."

"Alright then. I'll be back in a little while to check on you."

I watch him leave before looking at Esme. "How was that, as far as expressing my feelings?"

She smiles. "Crystal clear. I think you're better at it then you thought."

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**TheSongSmith**


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